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Earliest known swords
A sword is a long bladed tool with very sharp edges. It is primarily used as a weapon for cutting and stabbing. The word sword comes from an Old English word sweord. However, other sword experts believed that it was coined after an Old High German word - swerd, which literally means "wounding tool". On the other hand, some said it was from the Proto-Indo-European term - sver; meaning "to wound or to hurt".
The earliest known swords were created during the prehistoric era. In relation, it originally appeared as a short sword, somewhat similar to a dagger. The discovery of the copper as a sword material resulted to its evolution. The sword became longer and sharper. After the copper, the bronze swords were then introduced. It bears a resemblance to the copper swords but it has a longer size. The bronze swords enhanced the copper's measurement from 27 to 31 inches to more than 35 inches in lenght.
In the Aegean civilization of the Bronze Age, from 1600 to 1100 BC, swords were created as a device for thrusting an opponent particularly the Mycenaean swords of the second millennium B.C. Soon after, swords evolved into a double-edged weapon designed for cutting blows. At this point, the swords have a fewer parallel cutting edges.
Iron's breakthrough, as well as its invention, contributed much to the advancement of the early swords. During this time, Europe's iron swords (the most widespread of all the early swords but it was also the most difficult to make) and bronze swords (the most uncommon among the two types of swords because of the bronze's scarcity; in fact, it still has to be imported from the areas of Eastern Mediterranean) existed together for more than 3 centuries.
From 900 to 500 B.C., the Hallstatt civilization in Bad Ischl, Central Austria created bronze swords with iron cutting edges. Its blades were long and lancet- shaped. It also has a wide edge part. The pre-Roman iron sword bears a striking resemblance to that of a bronze sword except that its length is more than 40 inches long. With the modification of the fighting techniques used in the warfare, the Romans crafted a specialized short version of the sword. This sword, which they named Gladius, provided high enhancement from the previous one. It perfectly matched the Roman army's great manueverity and accuracy in the battlefield. The Gladius is an improvement of the Hallstatt sword. It has a double-edged razor with a fortified trip. Its hand grip, which was crafted out from wood, ivory, and bone, was spherical. This resulted to a more firm hold to the sword. The Roman soldiers carry the Gladius on their right slung fleeting above the left shoulder. Consequently, the Roman's cavalry division also used the Gladius in their horses. On the other hand, the Roman's so-called barbarian enemies were vastly equipped with long swords.
From the period of 500 B.C. to the start of the Christian age, the pointed type of sword blades (which is similar to that of the Hallstatt's) made by the La Tène civilization were reduced. During this time, the sword developed from an object-cum-weapon into a plain combating tool. This type of sword is easy to wield. During the final three centuries B.C., Europe's most typical kind of sword was the Gallic sword created by the La Tène society.
At some point in the Carolingian period, the sword's grip changed into a clearer and distinct function. The lengthened plate atypical to the Merovingian era was changed into a four inches tiny bar. The sword's wooden handle was transformed into a rectangular base pommel which was heavier at the center portion. The so-called Carolingian sword, which was larger and longer, was perfectly designed as a faultless combating tool ideal for cutting. It is heavier and longer than the earliest known swords of the past; its size is deliberated to be 37 to 40 inches in length.
All throughout the period, from 11th to 12th centuries, of the Roman era, the sword maintained Carolingian's structure and design. However, its blade was wider, the quillions were increased in size, and the pommel's shape was made into hemispherical or parabolodial. During this time, the name of the sword's maker first appeared in the fuller. Afterwards, in the late part of the 12th century, the sword's blade was again transformed wider and the quillions were increased to eight to nine inches.
During the Gothic era of the 12 century, swords developed into a highly particular weapon. The swords used on foot are different from the ones used on horseback, parade, and any other formal procedures. The 14th-century swords used by knights were characterized by its strong point, splendor, and synchronization. In this period, the sword's size almost doubled; its measurement is more than 45 inches in length with the blade comprising nearly 40 inches. The hilts were made straight and the pommels were polygonal or disc-shaped. However, pommels greatly differ from country to country. In Italy for example, the pommel was either flat or a little convex.
The sword's function became more and more emphasized during the 16th century. Its blades were firmer and the hilts have bows and bars to protect the user's hand. However, the sword's purpose on warfare greatly diminished in the later part of the 16th century because firearms and canons were introduced in the battlefield. From that moment on, sword's function was limited only to close combat actions in the ground.
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