Is this wootz?

mariusgmioc · 17th February 2026, 09:24 PM

I have been involved in a debate on another forum whether the sword in the photos has a wootz blade or not.
It would be interesting to hear your opinions!

kronckew · 17th February 2026, 11:19 PM

Doesn't look wootzy, more like pattern welded, sometimes called Damascus.
It was used in European presentation swords quite often. Are there any inscriptions or decorations on the blade?

Sajen · 17th February 2026, 11:40 PM

Hi Marius,
Pattern welded, no wootz IMVHO!

Regards,
Detlef

mariusgmioc · 18th February 2026, 09:02 PM

Thank you for your opinions!
That's exactly what I also said: pattern welded.

Ian · 20th February 2026, 07:36 AM

I agree with Sajen and kronckew. Not wootz, but a rather attractive laminated pattern that shows goof contrast. Nice blade.

Rick · 21st February 2026, 04:05 AM

The pattern almost looks like an image I saved from one of the Hubble telescope pictures.

Cosmic.

Copycat · 21st February 2026, 07:05 PM

Wootz. Pattern is pretty organic.

Lee · Yesterday, 02:40 PM

Not wootz, but coarsely laminated steel (often called pattern-welded or Damascus). Handout from a demonstration I did years ago.

Ian · Today, 06:18 AM

Lee, thanks for that PDf file! An excellent summary and very much valid here.

The pattern in the original post (OP) of this thread shows clear and sharply profiled laminations, as illustrated in Lee's article. Wootz patterns may resemble the patterns found in the OP but the key difference, at least for me, is the much "softer" appearance of wootz patterns as they blend with the background steel. This is to be expected from the different manner in which bloomery steel is created and worked. Wootz patterns derive from different crystalline structures within the original billet.

Laminated blades are derived from different pieces of iron and steel, thus creating distinct boundaries between the steel pieces. Different structural components in the various pieces give rise to the patterns observed. Many times, such differences in composition give rise to clear margins for the different components, thus distinguishing the pattern-welded forms from wootz.

The OP here is clearly a pattern-welded, laminated construction. There are, however, examples of pattern-welded forms that are more difficult to distinguish from wootz.

Ian.

17th February 2026, 09:24 PM	#1
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,917	Is this wootz? I have been involved in a debate on another forum whether the sword in the photos has a wootz blade or not. It would be interesting to hear your opinions! Attached Images

17th February 2026, 11:19 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,280	Doesn't look wootzy, more like pattern welded, sometimes called Damascus. It was used in European presentation swords quite often. Are there any inscriptions or decorations on the blade? Last edited by kronckew; 18th February 2026 at 10:06 AM.

20th February 2026, 07:36 AM	#5
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,661	Not wootz I agree with Sajen and kronckew. Not wootz, but a rather attractive laminated pattern that shows goof contrast. Nice blade.

21st February 2026, 04:05 AM	#6
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,400	The pattern almost looks like an image I saved from one of the Hubble telescope pictures. Cosmic. Attached Images

17th February 2026, 11:40 PM	#3
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,578	Hi Marius, Pattern welded, no wootz IMVHO! Regards, Detlef

18th February 2026, 09:02 PM	#4
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,917	Thank you for your opinions! That's exactly what I also said: pattern welded.

21st February 2026, 07:05 PM	#7
Copycat Member Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 42	Wootz. Pattern is pretty organic.

Yesterday, 02:40 PM	#8
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 992	Not wootz, but coarsely laminated steel (often called pattern-welded or Damascus). Handout from a demonstration I did years ago.

Today, 06:18 AM	#9
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,661	Lee, thanks for that PDf file! An excellent summary and very much valid here. The pattern in the original post (OP) of this thread shows clear and sharply profiled laminations, as illustrated in Lee's article. Wootz patterns may resemble the patterns found in the OP but the key difference, at least for me, is the much "softer" appearance of wootz patterns as they blend with the background steel. This is to be expected from the different manner in which bloomery steel is created and worked. Wootz patterns derive from different crystalline structures within the original billet. Laminated blades are derived from different pieces of iron and steel, thus creating distinct boundaries between the steel pieces. Different structural components in the various pieces give rise to the patterns observed. Many times, such differences in composition give rise to clear margins for the different components, thus distinguishing the pattern-welded forms from wootz. The OP here is clearly a pattern-welded, laminated construction. There are, however, examples of pattern-welded forms that are more difficult to distinguish from wootz. Ian.