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Old 2nd August 2020, 12:40 PM   #15
fernando
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
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Default Flaming versus undulated ... the difference

Whether one gave place to the other, let evidence show up and enlighten us ... or enlighten me, for one.
Not hard to trace the multiple info on the flaming sword; Sumerian, owned by Asaruludu; the bible, with Archangel Uriel, guarding the doors of Eden to prevent expelled Adam and Even to return (Gênesis 3:24); in Welsh mythology, the Dyrnwyn owned by Rhydderch, capable of burning the man who called him for unworthy purposes; in Nordic mythology, the sword held by Surtr, a jötunn from Muspelheim, had a flaming blade with imense destructive power. But all those swords had blades that produced "actual" flames; burning fire was their business, not the design of the blade.
Now, whether all these gave transition to 'modern' blades with the waving option, losing the property of fire in favor of their stabbing efficacy, let it be a self service conclusion.
Not forgetting that, by the time of freemasonry, the flames had already ceased playing their mythic role and the sword was only undulated (say waved). But this occurrence only appeared in a later ritual fashion in France, influenced by the exiled Scots nobles. Before that, freemasons had their own mason tools for symbols, the sword not included. Even the Tyler chronicles are not consistent with his sword being undulated or straight.
Obviously the argument that the waving section being placed other than in the blade point is, if i may, a fait divers. As i said in my first post about the sword in discussiin being an 'atypical' example, quoted as a 'owners whim' (read caprice).
Attached a couple examples from my little collection in such context.


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Attached Images
  

Last edited by fernando; 2nd August 2020 at 05:04 PM.
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