Weapons of the Bronze Age, Romania

The different types of bladed weapons (swords, dress-swords, sabers, rapiers, foils, machetes, daggers, knives, arrowheads, etc..) have been of great importance throughout history. In addition to its use for fighting, or in wars, the bladed weapons have been the object of special considerations forming part of funerary rituals, mythology and other ancestral traditions.

History

The present chronology is a compilation that includes diverse and relatively uneven documents about different families of bladed weapons: swords, dress-swords, sabers, rapiers, foils, machetes, daggers, knives, arrowheads, etc..., with the sword references being the most numerous but not the unique included among the other listed references of the rest of bladed weapons.

Bronze swords

Swords found next to Nebra sky disk

The first known bronze swords with a length equal to or greater than 60 cm date from the 17th century BC in regions of the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea. A sword must be constructed from the correct alloy, have the right shape, and have the necessary thermal (and finishing) treatments applied to it for it to be useful in combat. In a longer sword, the stresses (bending and buckling) are more important. What is needed is a weapon that is hard enough (to cut), fairly flexible (without being fragile) and quite durable enough to withstand blows.

The manufacturing process is summarized as follows: The bronze swords were cast into moulds, heated to a certain temperature and allowed to cool slowly before being cold hammered (a process whereby they are hit with a hammer on a type of anvil) to increase their hardness.

  • c.1275 BC. Assyrian sword, with inscriptions.[1]
  • c.650 BC. According to Pausanias, Theodore of Samos invented the casting of bronze objects.[2]

5th century BC-5th century AD

Spring and Autumn period bronze dagger hilt
Falcata from the 4th century BC
  • c.450 BC. Herodotus. He mentioned iron swords (as a representation of the god Ares/Mars) in Scythian people's tombs
  • c.401 BC. He described the Indian steel (Wootz steel) and two swords made with that material.[3]
  • 326 BC. Battle of the Hidaspes River. Alexander defeated King Porus, who gave him about 10 kg of "Indian steel" (Wootz steel).[4]
  • c.230 BC. Philo of Byzantium In his treatise Belopoeica (artillery), he describes the flexibility of the swords of the Celts and Iberians in Hispania.[5] An elastic behavior, such as a spring, would imply some tempered steel content in the mentioned swords.[6][7][8][9]
  • 216 BC. Battle of Cannae Polybius described the swords of the Iberians (good for cutting and thrusting) and those of the Gauls (good for cutting).[10]
  • 197 BC. The Gauls were defeated by the Romans, led by Gaius Cornelius Cetegus near the River Clusius (perhaps the current Brembo River). In spite of the numerical superiority of the Gauls, their swords were bent at the first blow and had to be straightened. The Romans took advantage of this weakness to win the battle.[11]
  • c.20 BC. Diodorus Siculus was a Greek historian of Sicily that lived in the 1st Century BC, and a contemporary of Julius Caesar and Augustus. His comments on the celtiberian swords indicate the cut quality and an aspect of their manufacture.[12]
  • c.5 BC. Gratio Falisco, in his poem Cynegeticon, mentions the knives of Toledo: "... Ima toledano praecingunt ilia cultro ..."[13][14]

Middle Ages

Sword of San Galgano nailed to the rock. Year 1181.
  • c.500. Ship wrecked near Nydam (Denmark) with a cargo of swords of the type "pattern-welded".
  • c.700. According to a Japanese legend from the province of Yamato, the sword maker Amakuni was concerned that many swords were broken in battle. And after days of work and prayer, he modified the forging and tempering process by getting swords that were curved and did not break in combat.[22]
  • 796. The emperor Charlemagne rendered the king Offa of Mercia with a sword made by Huns, obtained like war loot.[23]
  • 802. Harun al-Rashid possessed a sword of great quality, called Samsam or Samsamah. Supposedly it was a sword that had belonged to a king of Yemen. Nikephoros I, the Byzantine Emperor, sent him a few swords of Byzantine manufacture, indicating that he no longer wanted to pay the tribute. Harun broke them all with his Samsam sword, and he did not blunder the least.[24][25]
  • c.850. Abu Yusuf well Ishaq al-Kindi describes the swords of Damascus.[26]
  • c.900. First documentation of the tachi. Master Yasu-tsuna (from Hoki)[27]
  • 966. Embassy of Borrell II to To the-Hàkam II. giving a present of 100 "frank swords", very famous and feared.[28]
  • 1146. Earliest clear references to naginata.[29]
  • 1233. Jaume I mentions the sword called "Tiso" (forged in Monzón in the siege of Burriana.[30][31]
  • 1248. Sword Lobera of the king Fernando III de Castilla.[32]
  • 1274. Sword of the knight Soler de Vilardell (Sword of Vilardell). A sword considered magical, "of virtue". Its cut quality indicates a very successful manufacturing process.[33]
  • 1370. Last will of Pere el Cerimoniós with the sword of Sant Martí and the sword of Vilardell.
  • 1392. Ibn Hud Ibn Hudhayl, in his work " Gala de caballeros y blasón de paladines ", mentions two types of quality swords: those of Indian steel and those of the francs (Catalan) . The latter with exceptional qualities and supposedly forged by genius.[34]
  • 1425. The sword makers of Valencia asked for confirmation of their ordinations, copied from those of the sword makers of Barcelona.

....Item. Senyor los dits privilegis, capítols e ordinacions vees(?) plaurets a Déu a justícia (e) egualtat car axí son stats obtenguts per la spaseria de ciutat vostra de Barchinonae per vos atorgats (a) aquella segons han pres los prohomens de la spaseria de la dita vostra ciutat de Valencia...1425...Alfonsi Dei gratia Regis Aragonum, Sicilie, Valencie, Majoricam, Sardinie et ...[35]

  • Examination of applicants for master of sword making:

They had to present:“4 fulles d’espases e recapte per a guarniment de aquelles. Ço és la una fulla de dues mans la qual haie a guarnir vermella. E l’altra fulla sia de una mà la qual haie a esser guarnida mitadada de dues colors. E l’altra de una mà que sia buydada e guarnida tota negra. E la quarta ço és un estoch d’armes tot blanch los quals guarniments se vien(?) e haien a fer per lo volent usa(n)t de la dita spaseria dins la casa e habitació de un dels dits diputats...”

  • 1433. Barcelona. In the "Book of the councils" of the guild of sword makers, the way of tempering the leaves of the swords is indicated.[36]
    • In folio f_099r and others of the "Guild book of the sword makers" appears the expression "confrare ho confraressa" . Apparently a woman could belong to the guilt of sword makers. Maybe only as the wife or widow of a sword maker.[37]

1450-1700 AD

sword of Francis I of France exposed in the "Musée de l'Armée" in Paris. Forged in Valencia by Antonivs.[38]

1700-1950 AD

Miyamoto Musashi.
  • 1742. "Dictionnaire Universel De Commerce", Jacques Savary des Bruslons, Philémon-Louis Savary. French name of the composite leaves with iron core and steel exterior ("lame de ettofe").[56]
  • 1750. News about the "varnished iron" or "iron" mines of Mondragón.[57]
  • 1760. Carlos III of Spain orders to Luis de Urbina, infantry colonel, a report on the bladed weapons factories of Toledo, Valencia, Zaragoza and Barcelona (in precarious state) to establish a new factory in Toledo
  • 1761. " Bladed weapons Factory of Toledo" (Fábrica de armas blancas de Toledo), created by decree of Carlos III of Spain. It was organized and directed by the Valencian sword's master Lluis Calisto, contracted expressly.[58]
  • 1766. Esquilache Riots
  • 1772. Henry Nock was the founder of a gun-making company. He bequeathed to his manager James Wilkinson, maker of the famous swords and sabers.[59]
  • 1772. Rules for Californian presidios. Soldado de cuera. Cutting arms. Broad sword and lance characteristics.[60][61]
  • 1781–1782. For the armament of the Presidio of Santa Barbara (California) the swords of Toledo are rejected and they are asked for German, Valencian or Barcelona swords, more suitable for military tasks. According to Felipe de Nieve report English by Richard S. Whitehead): "... Uniforms are in deplorable shape due to the fact that supply ships have not arrived. Much of the equipment is defective. Safeties on the pistols are inoperative and The swords of Toledo are so tempered that they can be broken to pieces if they are used carelessly. ".[62][63]
  • 1782. William Bowles, "Introduction to Natural History and the Physical Geography of Spain." With information on the making of swords in Spain.[64]
  • 1793–1795. War of the Pyrenees. The weapon workshops in Catalonia, are opened again.[65]
  • 1798. History of the political economy of Aragon. Ignacio Jordán de Assó. talks about the sword makers of Zaragoza .[66]
  • 1804. James Wilkinson.[67]
  • 1844. Henry Wilkinson[68]
  • 1849. "Barcelona General Guide"; Manuel Saurí, José Matas. Describes the sword of the guild of sword makers of Barcelona (60 inches long, 24 inches to the crosshead), which required a strong man to carry it in parades.[69]
  • 1851. Sword of Toledo (of Manuel de Ysasi) presented to the Great Exhibition of London. It could be unsheathed and sheathed in a nearly circular sheath.[70]
  • 1856. Details of the manufacture of swords (according to the Toledo Factory).[71]
  • 1865. Henry George O'Shea. "A guide to Spain". List of swords of the armoury of the Royal Palace of Madrid (at the time of the publication of the work).[72]
  • 1943. Sword of Stalingrad

References

  1. ↑ Assyrian sword.
  2. ↑ Herodotus Halicarnasseus; George Rawlinson, John Gardner Wilkinson (sir); Henry Creswicke Rawlinson (sir) (1862). History of Herodotus. J. Murray. pp. 150–. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  3. ↑ Niharranjan Ray; Brajadulal Chattopadhyaya (1 January 2000). A sourcebook of Indian civilization. Orient Blackswan. pp. 81–. ISBN 9788125018711. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  4. ↑ James H. Swank (1 January 1965). History of the Manufacture of Iron in All Ages. Ayer Publishing. pp. 8–. ISBN 9780833734631. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  5. ↑ Terence Wise; Richard Hook (25 March 1982). Armies of the Carthaginian Wars, 265-146 BC. Osprey Publishing. pp. 20–. ISBN 9780850454307. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  6. ↑ Alfred S. Bradford (2001). With Arrow, Sword, and Spear: A History of Warfare in the Ancient World. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 181–. ISBN 978-0-275-95259-4.
  7. ↑ Peter E. Knox; J. C. McKeown (31 October 2013). The Oxford Anthology of Roman Literature. Oxford University Press. pp. 160–. ISBN 978-0-19-991072-4.
  8. ↑ Nic Fields (26 January 2017). Lake Trasimene 217 BC: Ambush and annihilation of a Roman army. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 24–. ISBN 978-1-4728-1633-7.
  9. ↑ Revue archéologique. Ernest Leroux. 1864. pp. 348–.
  10. ↑ Polybius; Robin Waterfield; Brian McGing (5 November 2010). The Histories. Oxford University Press. pp. 219–. ISBN 9780199534708. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  11. ↑ Polybius; James Hampton (1809). The general history of Polybius. pp. 184–. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  12. ↑ "Diodor de Sicília. Espases dels celtíbers". Archived from the original on 2018-01-28. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  13. ↑ Patricia Shaw Fairman (2000). Obra reunida de Patricia Shaw. Universidad de Oviedo. pp. 134–. ISBN 9788483172049. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  14. ↑ Le Tour du monde. 1868. pp. 1–. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  15. ↑ James Vincent Ricci (1949). The development of gynæcological surgery and instruments. Norman Publishing. pp. 6–. ISBN 9780930405281. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  16. ↑ Arthur Aikin (1841). Illustrations of Arts and Manufactures. John Van Voorst. pp. 248–. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  17. ↑ John William Humphrey; John Peter Oleson; Andrew Neil Sherwood (1998). Greek and Roman technology: a sourcebook : annotated translations of Greek and Latin texts and documents. Routledge. pp. 218–. ISBN 9780415061377. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  18. ↑ "Plini el Vell. Diferents tipus de ferro". Archived from the original on 2020-01-22. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  19. ↑ Julius Sillig; Pliny (the Elder.) (1837). Dictionary of the artists of antiquity: architects, carvers, engravers, modellers, painters, sculptors, statuaries, and workers in bronze, gold, ivory, and silver, with three chronological tables. Black and Armstrong. pp. 19–. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  20. ↑ Gocha Tsetskhladze (June 2005). Ancient West & East. BRILL. pp. 381–. ISBN 9789004139756. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  21. ↑ Libro tercero de la geografia de Estrabón, que comprende un tratado sobre España antigua. Hibarra hijos & cía. 1787. pp. 212–.
  22. ↑ John M. Yumoto (1958). The Samurai Sword: A Handbook. Tuttle Publishing. pp. 26–. ISBN 978-0-8048-0509-4.
  23. ↑ England Under Anglo-Saxon Kings. Bell. 1845. pp. 232–.
  24. ↑ George Sale; George Psalmanazar, George Shelvocke; Archibald Bower; John Campbell, John Swinton (1759). An universal history: from the earliest accounts to the present time. Printed for C. Bathurst. pp. 349–.
  25. ↑ Arabian Nights, in 16 volumes: Volume II. Cosimo, Inc. 1 December 2008. pp. 127–. ISBN 978-1-60520-581-6.
  26. ↑ al-Kindí
  27. ↑ John M. Yumoto (15 December 1989). The samurai sword: a handbook. Tuttle Publishing. pp. 28–. ISBN 9780804805094. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  28. ↑ Marta Sancho i Planas (1999). Homes, fargues, ferro i foc: arqueología i documentació per a l'estudi de la producció de ferro en època medieval : les fargues dels segles IX-XIII al sud del Pirineu català. Marcombo. pp. 49–. ISBN 9788426712219. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  29. ↑ Markus Sesko (30 September 2014). Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords (Paperback). Lulu.com. pp. 311–. ISBN 978-1-312-56368-1.
  30. ↑ Ferran Soldevila; Maria Teresa Ferrer i Mallol; Jordi Bruguera (2007). Les quatre grans croniques: Llibre dels feits del rei En Jaume. Institut d'Estudis Catalans. pp. 258–. ISBN 9788472839014. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  31. ↑ Joaquim Miret i Sans; Maria Teresa Ferrer i Mallol; Institut d'Estudis Catalans (2004). Itinerari de Jaume I "el Conqueridor". Institut d'Estudis Catalans. pp. 104–. ISBN 9788472837515. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  32. ↑ Sociedad Española de Excursiones (1942). Boletín de la Sociedad Española de Excursiones. Sociedad Española de Excursiones.
  33. ↑ Johan I D'Arago. Institut d'Estudis Catalans. 1929. pp. 380–. GGKEY:8CXSF5T5A0D. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  34. ↑ ʻAlī ibn ʻAbd al-Raḥmān Ibn Hudhayl (1977). Gala de caballeros, blasón de paladines. Editora Nacional. ISBN 9788427604087. Retrieved 23 April 2011.Pàg. 185
  35. ↑ Manuscritos (Capítulos y privilegios del Gremi dels Armers de la ciudad de Valencia) (1462-1518) - Gremi dels Armers (Valencia). Capítulos referidos a los oficios de "armers, cuyracers, sellers, speroners, llancers, spasers, lloriguers i brodadors"
  36. ↑ Antonio Capmany y de Montpalau; Real Junta y Consulado de Comercio de Barcelona (1779). Memorias históricas sobre la marina, comercio y artes de la antigua ciudad de Barcelona ... En la Imprenta de Sancha. pp. 2–. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  37. ↑ Llibre gremial dels espasers, 1433-1713 (Manuscritp)
  38. ↑ Antonio Martínez (1854). Catalogo de la Real Armeria mandado reimprimir por S. M.: (Verfaßt von Antonio Martinez del Romero). Por Aguado. pp. 97–.
  39. ↑ Fèlix Torres Amat (1836). Memorias para ayudar a formar un diccionario crítico de escritores catalanes. J.Verdaguer. pp. 489–. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  40. ↑ Luís PACHECO de NARVAEZ (1635). Engaño y desengaño de los errores que se han querido introducir en la destreza de las armas... Imprenta del Reyno. pp. 5–.
  41. ↑ Escorial. Real Biblioteca; Eusebio-Julián Zarco-Bacas y Cuevas (1932). Catálogo de los manuscritos catalanes, valencianos, gallegos y portugueses de la biblioteca de El Escorial (PDF). Tip. de Archivos.
  42. ↑ [1]
  43. ↑ Espases de Saragossa obsequiades a Henry VIII d'Anglaterra.(in Spanish)
  44. ↑ Michael A. Bellesiles (19 November 2003). Arming America: the origins of a national gun culture. Soft Skull Press. pp. 46–. ISBN 9781932360073. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  45. ↑ José Fernando González (1867). Crónica de la provincia de Zaragoza. Editorial MAXTOR. pp. 74–. ISBN 9788497610674. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  46. ↑ Vannoccio Biringuccio (1 January 1990). The pirotechnia of Vannoccio Biringuccio: the classic sixteenth-century treatise on metals and metallurgy. Courier Dover Publications. pp. 61–. ISBN 9780486261348. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  47. ↑ Catálogo histórico-descriptivo de la Real Armería de Madrid. Editorial MAXTOR. 17 July 2008. pp. 216–. ISBN 978-84-9761-453-5.
  48. ↑ Sabre d'Enric VIII d'Anglaterra.
  49. ↑ Georgius Agricola (10 June 2004). De Natura Fossilium (Textbook of Mineralogy). Courier Dover Publications. pp. 183–. ISBN 9780486495910. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  50. ↑ Josep Romeu i Figueras (2000). Recerques d'etnologia i folklore. L'Abadia de Montserrat. pp. 35–. ISBN 9788484152415. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  51. ↑ Cruilles (marqués de.) (1883). Los gremios de Valencia: memoria sobre su origen, vicisitudes y organizacion. Impr. de la Casa de beneficencia. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  52. ↑ Mercurio de España. Imprenta Real. 1826. pp. 177–.
  53. ↑ Espasa de Solingen.
  54. ↑ Harold L. Peterson (27 March 2001). Daggers and Fighting Knives of the Western World: From the Stone Age Till 1900. Courier Corporation. pp. 32–. ISBN 978-0-486-41743-1.
  55. ↑ John Florio (1611). Queen Anna's New world of words: or Dictionaire of the Italien and English Longues.
  56. ↑ Jacques Savary des Bruslons; Philémon-Louis Savary (1742). Dictionnaire Universel De Commerce: Contenant Tout Ce Qui Concerne Le Commerce Qui Se Fait Dans Les Quatre Parties Du Monde, par terre, par mer, de proche en proche, & par des voyages de long cours ... : [Divisé en III Volumes et en IV Parties]. D - O. Cramer. pp. 118–. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  57. ↑ Sebastian de Miñano (1827). Diccionario geographico-estudistico de España y Portugal. Pierart-Peralta. pp. 80–. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  58. ↑ José Amador de los Ríos (1845). Toledo pintoresca, o descripción de sus más célebres monumentos. Editorial MAXTOR. pp. 209–. ISBN 9788497613071. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  59. ↑ Mark Barton; John McGrath (3 July 2013). British Naval Swords and Swordsmanship: _. Seaforth Publishing. pp. 112–. ISBN 978-1-84832-135-9.
  60. ↑ Reglamento e instrucción para los presidios que se han de formar en la línea de frontera de la Nueva España : resuelto por el Rey ... en cédula de 10 de septiembre de 1772.
  61. ↑ Max L. Moorhead (1991). The Presidio: Bastion of the Spanish Borderlands. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 190–. ISBN 978-0-8061-2317-2.
  62. ↑ Richard S. Whitehead; Donald C. Cutter; Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (1996). Citadel on the Channel: The Royal Presidio of Santa Barbara, Its Founding and Construction, 1768-1798. Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation. ISBN 978-1-879208-02-5.
  63. ↑ Arms and Armament.Presidios of California. Michael R. Hardwick.
  64. ↑ William Bowles (1782). Introducción a la historia natural y á la geografía física de España. Imprenta real. pp. 295–. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  65. ↑ Miquel Coll i Alentorn (1992). Història. L'Abadia de Montserrat. pp. 240–. ISBN 9788478262991. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  66. ↑ Ignacio Jordán de Assó y del Río (1798). Historia de la economía política de Aragón. por Francisco Magallon. pp. 219–. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  67. ↑ Michael Springman (31 December 1990). Sharpshooter in the Crimea: The Letters of the Captain Gerald Goodlake VC 1854-56. Pen and Sword. pp. 218–. ISBN 978-1-4738-1809-5.
  68. ↑ Michael Springman (31 December 1990). Sharpshooter in the Crimea: The Letters of the Captain Gerald Goodlake VC 1854-56. Pen and Sword. pp. 218–. ISBN 978-1-4738-1809-5.
  69. ↑ Manuel Saurí; José Matas (2004). Manual histórico-topográfico estadístico y administrativo ó sea Guía general de Barcelona. Editorial MAXTOR. pp. 177–. ISBN 9788497611411. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  70. ↑ Great Exhibition; Robert Ellis (F.L.S.); Great Britain. Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 (1851). Official descriptive and illustrated catalogue. Spicer brothers. pp. 1346–. Retrieved 29 April 2011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  71. ↑ Librería Española (1856). Diccionario de artes y manufacturas, de agricultura, de minas, etc: A. Establecimiento Tipográfico de Mellado. pp. 2–. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  72. ↑ Henry George O'Shea (1865). A guide to Spain. Longmans, Green. pp. 278–. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
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