?.1 Medieval Knightly Riding Sword

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Find place  reputedly the Bordeaux region of France
Collection Private 
 Length Overall: 84.3 cm. (32.8 inches) Blade: 69.5 cm. (27.3 inches)
 Date 1270 to 1320 AD
 Condition Excavated with minimal pitting on one side and mild pitting on the opposite, straight and strong

This sword, which is of a form not lending itself to classification within Oakeshott's system, is an example of a so-called "riding sword". While uncommon, shorter swords such as this are known throughout the Medieval Period and are also mentioned in literature and represented in art (Oakeshott, 1991, p. 31, 109, 151, 172, 177, 201 and 202 and Oakeshott, 1985, p. 12). Further evidence that these are adult warrior's weapons include observations that these swords do not appear to have been shortened and that they tend to have a full adult grip length. Even rarer, but known, are true boy's swords with which the so called "riding swords" should not be confused. This example has a plain iron hilt with a disc pommel. The strongly tapering blade is of flattened hexagonal cross-section.

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 Copyright © 1998 by Lee A. Jones