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Old 1st November 2019, 07:00 PM   #14
Jim McDougall
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Location: Route 66
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While we have been focused on the ULFBERHT blade phenomenon, which appears of course to be the predecessor of the INGELRII blades, which is the subject of the original query here, this perspective has been indeed key to the answer.
Ibrahiim, thank you for that link which indeed adds to that perspective,

To continue on INGELRII, I found the following article in the spring 2005 Park Lane Arms Fair journal,
"INGELRII: A Continuing Tradition in Early Medieval Swordsmithing"
by Michael R. Gorman
On p.30, it notes;
"..with the advent of the Ulfberht blades, we perceive a moment of technological innovation in sword smithing , which the original smith(we presume his name was Ulfberht) chose to proclaim by an additionally novel way of inscribing his mark/tradename. It seems that this tradition continues with the rise of the INGEL group of inlays, which are morphologically very similar to the ULFBERHT inlays, and carry forward without perceptible interruption into the mid 11th c.".

It is suggested that the extended chronological range of these swords, surpassing the life span of one person, likely may have been a family firm or closely linked shops in a group.

Further, the much improved quality of these blades was superior to the older PATTERN WELDED blades, thus ULFBERHT became synonymous with high quality. Naturally copying of the inlaid inscriptions was inevitable.

At the end of the 'ULFBERHT' period (950AD +) emerged another group of morphologically inlaid blade inscriptions in form of the name Ingel, (usually INGELRII) but there appears to have been an overlap in transition. While the Ulfberht ceased, the INGELRII group carried into c. 1050AD.

One sword found in a river bed (River Nene, Ravens Willow, Cambridgeshire) actually had ULBERHT on one side and INGELRII on the other!!!

There seem to be variations in the INGEL group, such as INERIIGEMITT; INEERIIRIETI; INCELRII and others. With the original INGELRII, the grouping seems sometimes separate suggesting RII is a suffix, recalling the often separate 'T' in Ulfberht perhaps being of similar intent.

Whatever the case, these two 'names' became synonymous with quality for the apparently dramatic improvement in smithing techniques and production. The copying and spurious reproduction of the inlays of these groups of swords of course suggest that they are more a quality imbuement than makers name proper, and the origin of these names remain unclear.

With regard to the metallurgy of these early medieval blades, it is noted (p.35) that an INGELRII sword (presumed by the author to be last quarter 10th to early 11th c) when cleaned revealed the appearance of Damascus steel.
While this article predates the other works we have discussed, it is noted that the 'jury was still out' as far as whether authentically crucible steel or simply a makers effort to duplicate it. The author notes that Alan Williams was among those investigating this sword along with Peter Finer; the late Ian Peirce; the late Claude Blair and other notable figures.
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