What are the name swords. Samurai swords

The whole past of ancient and feudal Japan is endless battles. The main difference from the battles on the continent is that the wars flared up among the Japanese, in other words, within the same nationality and culture. The warring parties used one weapon and

similar strategies and tricks of warfare. In such a situation, the art of wielding samurai weapons and the individual tactical qualities of military leaders were of great importance.

Types of Japanese edged weapons

There are three defining eras in the Japanese martial past: the era of the bow, the era of the spear, and the era of the sword.

Bow period

Bow (yumi) - oldest weapon Japan. Bows have been used as weapons since ancient times. Archery was divided into two forms - as a necessary part of the Shinto ceremonies kyudo (Way of the bow) and as a martial art of kyujitsu (navy archery). Kyudo was usually practiced by the nobility, kyujitsu was practiced by samurai.

Japanese asymmetrical bow top part which is about twice as long as the bottom. Bow length from two meters. As a rule, the parts of the bow are made of composite, in other words, the outside of the bow is made of wood, and the inside is made of bamboo. Because of this, the arrow almost never moves in a straight line, with the result that accurate shooting becomes possible only after the accumulation of great experience. The average distance of a well-aimed arrow flight is about 60 meters, for a professional it is twice as far.

yumi japanese bow photo

Often, arrowheads were made empty so that in flight they emitted a whistle, which, according to beliefs, drove away evil demons.

In the old days, Japanese bows were sometimes used, which had to be pulled not alone, but by several warriors (for example, bows, which required the strength of seven archers to pull!). Such bows were used not only for shooting infantry, but also in battles at sea to sink enemy boats.

In addition to ordinary archery, bakyujitsu, horseback shooting, was a special skill.

Era of the Spear

In the 16th century, muskets were brought to Japan from Portugal. They almost completely replaced bows. At the same time, the importance of the spear (yari) increased. Because of this, the era of civil strife is called the Age of the Spear.

Yari spear photo

Mostly spears were used to knock riders off their horses. After the fall, such a fighter turned out to be unprotected. As a rule, spears were used by infantry. The yari spear was 5 meters long, and to use it, one had to have great strength and endurance. Various samurai clans used spears of various lengths and tip configurations.

Age of the Sword

With the coming to power of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1603, the importance of military skill as the ability to "victory at any cost" went down in history. It has become an independent technique of self-improvement and competition. Thanks to this, the physical strength of the spear professionals was replaced by kenjutsu - the art of wielding a sword.

It was during this era that the samurai sword began to be called the "soul of the samurai." The samurai sword was honed from the edge convex outward, and the other side is a kind of "shield" during the battle. The sword, made by special methods of multilayer forging, is surprisingly strong and sharp. Its manufacture takes a long time and requires huge labor costs, so the new samurai sword has always been of great value. An ancient sword, made by a famous master, cost a fortune. In the will of a samurai, in a special section, the distribution of swords between offspring was always indicated.

Types of samurai swords:

Tsurugi is an ancient straight sword sharpened on both sides, used until the 10th century.

Tsurugi photo

Thirty centimeter dagger.

Tanto photo

A samurai sword worn point-up at the waist, paired with a wakizashi. Length - 60-75 cm. Only samurai were allowed to wear a katana

katana photo

Wakizashi, (Shoto, Kodachi) - a short sword (30 - 60 cm), was worn on the belt with the tip up and, together with the katana, made up a set of samurai daise (long, short).

Tati - a large long curved sword (from 61 cm in the blade), which was worn with the tip down, was used, as a rule, by riders.

Nodachi (Odachi) - a kind of tachi, a very long sword (from one to one and a half meters), which was worn behind the back.

In training, they used shinai swords made of bamboo and bokken - swords made of wood.

Commoners could only wield small swords or knives - to protect themselves from robbers and robbers. Samurai wore two swords - long and short. At the same time, they fought with a long katana sword, although there were also schools of wielding two swords at once. A professional was determined by the ability to defeat the enemy with the minimum number of swings of the sword. A special skill was considered the art of killing the enemy by quickly pulling the sword from its scabbard - with one stroke (iaijutsu technique).

Auxiliary types of Japanese weapons:

Bo is a military pole. A large number of species of different lengths (30 cm - 3 m) and thickness are known.

The jitte is a fork-shaped weapon with two teeth made of iron. It was used by the police of the Tokugawa period to intercept the sword of an enraged (usually drunk) samurai, in addition, as a fighting club.

Yoroi-doshi - "dagger of mercy", which was used to finish off the wounded.

Kaiken - women's combat dagger. It was used by women of an aristocratic family as a knife for suicide in an encroachment on their honor.

Kozuka is a military knife. Often used in the economy.

Naginata is a Japanese halberd. A pole with an attached blade. It was originally used by infantry to injure enemy horses. In the 17th century, it began to be used by girls from the samurai family for defense. The standard length of the naginata was approximately 2 m.

photo of Naginata

Tessen - a military fan with steel spokes. Used by generals. Sometimes used as a small shield.

photo battle fan Tessen

old japanese weapon(single-shot arquebus) - it became popular during the period of internecine strife. After the accession of the shogunate, Tokugawa ceased to be used, as it was considered "unworthy of a true warrior."

japanese weapon video

An interesting video about katana and wakizashi.

• Tizona, Tison (Tizona)- a sword, a national treasure of Spain, famous for the "Poem of my Sid". Taken by him from King Bukar (in the Spanish epic). A sword believed to be Tizona is on display in Madrid. His second sword: Colada- less famous blade. Obtained by Cid from Count Raymond Berengaria the Fratricide (in the Spanish epic).
• Shois- sword.

Legendary and fictional and European epic

Swords of different nations

• Chrysaor- the golden sword of the fairy queen, a symbol of higher spiritualization, belonged to Artegal. Another sword from the Fairy Queen - Sanglamore- belonged to Braggadochio. King Arthur's sword in this poem is called Mordure. ( , "Fairy Queen")

swords in

• A sword embedded in a block of red marble that floated on the water to the castle. According to the inscription on the hilt, only one who would become the most glorious knight in the world could extract it. Of all the knights, only the young one could draw the sword. It was he who was destined to subsequently find and become his keeper.

in the gardens of Kingston Moreward, England]]

swords

• Begallta (Little Fury)- Diarmuid's sword (), irl. His second sword:

• Dyrnwyn- the sword of the king of Strathclyde Riderch (Riderch I of Alt Clut), burning with fire, but not leaving burns.

• Caladbolg - a sword The original versions of the myth used om. Identified with om of a later time. He had enough strength to cut three hills. Fergus' other sword was called Leohain ( Leochain).

• Cleve-Solash, Claíomh Solais (Claidheamh Soluis, "Sword of the Sun, Sword of Light")(sword of Nuadu) - the sword of the legendary king of Ireland, a representative that could not be repelled. One of the 4 treasures of the tribes of the goddess Danu. Also identified with the later Excalibur.

• Orna- the sword of Tetra, the king of the Fomorians, which was found by the warrior Ogma in the battle of Mag Tuired. I talked.

Scandinavian and German swords

• Aldering(Adelring) is a sword featured in several Danish ballads. It was found by Diderik in the dragon's lair. It is also the name of Sivord Snarensvend's sword, borrowed by his brother (son-in-law) Haagen, in Sivord and Brynhild. It is also the sword that was given to Svendal (Svendal, Svedal, Svennendal) by his mother, talking to him from the grave. Under the name Aaddellring appears as a weapon dreamed of by the slanderer Raffeuengaard, but the accused Lady Guner, wife of Duke Hendrik, gave it to Memering, who fought for her. The accuser took the sword to the duel Sudwind(Sudwynd), but still lost. And finally, the sword of Gralver, the slayer of dragons, in Gralver kongesøn.

and in the Icelandic manuscript]]

• Angurva, Engervadel (Angurva, Angurvadel, Angurvadil, Angurvddel)- the sword of Frithiof (Fritior). Decorated with magic runes that flared up brightly in the days of war and went out in Peaceful time. ("The Saga of Fridtjof the Bold",).

• Atveig- sang with happiness when he was taken out of the scabbard (option: he sang before the battle in the name of Christ), but drops of blood from grief flowed from him if the battle was far away.

Swords of chivalric novels and songs

The names of swords from French knightly literature in most cases should be declined and translated into Russian using the feminine gender.

• Adoleik (Adolake, Hatholake)- Sir Torrent of Portyngale's sword, forged by Weyland.

• Arondie (Arondie, Arondight, Arondight)- a sword Received it at the age of 18 during the knighting. His other sword is also mentioned - Chastiefol, and against the Saxons he fought with a sword named Seure. In the Italian epic, he wielded a sword Chiarenza(Chiarenza, "Clarity").

• Balsvenden(Balswenden, Palswendin) - the sword of Targis Turtozsky (Targis von Tortôse), one of the Saracen counts of Marseille, the enemy of Roland

• Batism- the sword of the Saracen knight Fierabras (, Ferumbras). His other two swords, forged by the same blacksmith named Ansias - Florence and Graban.

• Bitterfer(Bitterfer) - A sword given to Gorn by Princess Rymneld. Forged by Weyland. (English ballad "King Horn"). His other sword Blowaine(Blauain), captured by him from the Irish king Malakin (Malakin).
• Waske (Waskë)- the sword of Sintram (Sintram), the character of Friedrich de la Motte Fouquet.
• Galatin (Galatine, Galatyn, Galantyne)- Sir A's sword

• Altekler, Otkler (Hauteclaire, "High Light")- Olivier's sword, forged by Gelas. According to the poem "Girard of Vian", before Olivier, this sword belonged to the Roman emperor Closamont, who lost it in the forest. After the sword was found, it was given to the Pope, but then it was taken over by the father of Charlemagne, who presented it to one of his vassals; the latter sold it to the Jew Joachim, the same age as Pontius Pilate (). During a duel with Roland, Olivier's sword breaks. Roland allows him to send to Viana for another. Then Joachim sends him Altekler, and the duel ends in peace.
• his second sword Gloriosa (Glorieuse, "Glorious");

• Marmadouise (Marmadoise)- the sword of Froll the German (Frolle d'Allemagne) in the Arthurian cycle, was opposed to Excalibur.

• Morgle, Morgli (Morglay, Mor-glaif)- sword of Bevis of Hampton ().

• Ros (Rose, Rosse, Rossë; Rôse)- a sword originally owned by Ortnit of Lombardy, but found by Wolfdietrich.

• Santacrux (Santacrux)- the sword of Thibault de Sauvigny, (“Le Chevalier au bouclier vert”).

• Flamberge, Flamberg, Fruberta, Floberge, Flamborg (Flamberge, Floberge, Flamborge)- the sword of Renaud de Montauban, lent to him by his cousin Maugis, is forged by om. Also mentioned as belonging to Charlemagne, made by Galas.

• Egeking (Egeking, Erkyin)- the sword that Grime took to fight the knight Greysteel, who defeated his friend Eger and brutally chopped off the last little finger as a sign of victory.

Asian swords

and sea dragon]]

• Al-samsama- sword warrior poet Amr bin Madikarib al-Zubaidi (Amr b. Ma "dīkarib al-Zubaidī; Amr bin Maadi Karib), nicknamed Abu Thaur ("bull father").

• Gan Jiang (干将) and Mo Se (Mò Xié, 莫耶)- the legendary swords forged from meteoric iron by the Chinese blacksmith Gan Jiang, and named after him and his wife, who threw herself into the flames so that the fire reached the temperature at which only such a sword could be tempered (the heat of her heart was added there - love for husband).
• Dhami (Dhami, "sharp")- the sword of Antar, a black Arab warrior-poet.

• Dhul-Hayat (Zool hyyat, Ḏū l-hayat)- the sword of the enemy Antar Zalim ibn-Harith (Zalim ibn-Harith), and then Harit al-Zalima (Harith al-Zalim).

• Zu-l-faqar (ذو الفقار, Zulfakar, Zulfiqar, Dzhul Faqar, “Striated”, lit. “having vertebrae”)(Zulfiqar) - a sword-zulfiqar a, before - his father-in-law of the prophet a. He is also referred to as a scimitar Dhu "l Fakdr (Dhu al-faqar, "Resolute"). Not preserved. In total, Muhammad had 9 swords, others:
  • "Al-"Adb (al-Adb),
  • Al Battar (al-Battar "Brawler, Warrior"),
  • Al-Ma'thur(al-Maatur),
  • Al-Mikhdham(al-Mihzam),
  • Al Rasub(al-Rasub),
  • Al Qadib(al-Kadeeb),
  • Halef(Hatf, Khalef, Hatf, "Mortal"),
  • Medham, Qal'i(Mezam, Kali)

• Kusanagi, Kusanagi-no-tsurugi, Tsumugari-no-Tachi (Tsumugari no Tachi, 都牟刈の太刀, "Heavenly Sword")- the sacred sword presented to the goddess by the god belongs to (Japan). Obtained, according to legend, from the tail of an eight-headed dragon. Could control the winds. Before that, three women were created by the goddess Amaterasu from another Susanoo sword during the creation of the world.

• Sword of Goujian(Chinese 越王勾踐劍, Sword of Goujian) - the sword of King Goujian, (China,), an archaeological find numbering approx. 2500 years.

• Heavenly Will Thuan Thien (Viet. 順天, Thuận Thiên, Heaven's Will) is the mythical sword of the Vietnamese king Le Loi (: vi: Lê Lợi), who liberated his country from Chinese rule in the 15th century.
• Ratna Maru- sword.
• Samsamha (Samsamha, Sansamha)- sword, caliph of Baghdad.

• Seven-pronged sword (Nanatsusaya-no-tachi, Shichishito, Seven-Branched Sword, 七支刀)- one of the national treasures of Japan, IV century. BC.

• Honjo Masamune(本庄正宗) - the best blade made by the great Japanese gunsmith (1288-1328). Disappeared in the city, one of the most valuable wanted pieces of Japanese art.

• Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegar (شمشیر زمردنگا, "Decorated with Emeralds")- the sword of Emir Arsalan (Amir Arsalan), which belonged before (in Persian folklore).

Fictional swords in modern writing

Abducting Sita, cuts off Jatayu's wings with his sword Chandrahas]]

In foreign fantasy

• Rhindon

From Jennifer Roberson (Legends of the Tiger and Del):

• Smashing- Blade of the Tiger Sword Dancer
• boreal- magical northern blade (yawatma) Del
• Samiel- magical northern blade (yawatma), received by the Tiger in Staal-Usta

• Callandor- a crystal sword, "Sword-Which-Not-Sword", a sword that cannot be touched, one of the artifacts of the Age of Legends.

• Sword of Truth- in the same cycle

• Sword Kring- in the stories "The Coming of the Eight" and "Attraction of the Heart", belonged to the hero Hrun the Barbarian

by Philip Pullman

• Miraculous knife- in the stories "Wonderful Knife" and "Amber Telescope", belonged to the hero Will.

• Ice- Ned Stark's Valyrian steel blade, later reforged into two other swords.

• Martin- the sword that was given to Ciri when she was forced to fight in the circus arena;
• Sigil of Mahakam- the sword that was presented to the witcher Geralt by the dwarf Zoltan Chivay.

The European sword consists of two main parts:

The device of the European one-handed sword

1) handles, which in turn consists of tops (apples), handles, guards (crosses), shank

2) blade edge, which in turn consists from the valley, blade and point.

Blade

Blade- has many interpretations united by a common message. The blade is: 1) the cutting part of a cold weapon or a knife (interpretation dictionary, Ushakov); 2) the cutting and piercing part of edged weapons (interpretation dictionary, Ozhegov); 3) a strip, in general, the steel part of a cold, sharp weapon (except for a bayonet) and a knife (interpretation dictionary, Dal).

And yet, what should be the key concept? It would be correct to contact legal concept the words blade- extended metal warhead edged weapons with a point, with a point and one or two blades, or with two blades, which is part of a strip, this definition enshrined in GOST R 51215 98. This is the generally accepted understanding of the word - blade.

However, we will also derive the specific concept of a blade associated with the reality of the Zbroevy Falvarak workshop, the blade of the ZF workshop, this an extended metal warhead of the product, with a point, with a point and one or two blades, or with two blades, which is part of a strip, outwardly and structurally similar to melee weapons.

The main feature: the master artisans of the Polar Division do not make edged weapons, but make mass-dimensional copies).

1) Consider in more detail the individual parts of the hilt:

Top (apple):

pommel- this element of the sword device is designed to balance it, only a balanced sword is suitable for skillful fencing by it, in different schools of weapons art the balance may be different. However, it is considered the generally accepted way to measure the balance of a sword - this is a measurement with the fingers of the hand, as a rule, a good balance for a European blade should be four fingers from the guard of the sword.

How to balance with fingers?

We take the blade of the sword and look at its balance, for this we put the blade on one finger of the hand, removing or bringing the finger closer to the guard, we find the point when neither side outweighs the other. This is where the balance will be.

In addition, the pommel serves to support the hand, this is especially important because during the battle the sword begins to slide until the hand rests on the pommel.

Sword handle:

sword hilt - designed to hold the sword with the hand. The hilt of the sword should lie comfortably in the hand, because a non-comfortable hilt can interfere with your fencing capabilities. Therefore, when buying a sword, you need to pay attention to how well the hilt fits your hand. On the this moment it is possible to single out and classify swords with confidence according to the number of grips with the hand of the handle. So at the moment swords are divided into:

- One-Handed Swords
- Half-handed swords
- Two-handed swords

Usually under one-handed swords meaning light European blades designed for fast swordsmanship with one hand, such swords are usually light and have a blade of 50 to 80 cm. and are classic weapons of both role-playing and medieval reenactment movements.

Under the swords one and a half grip(bastards), refers to swords that can be held with both one hand and two. The swordsman, depending on the situation, can fence with one hand and hold the shield with the other, but in case of need, he can take such a sword in two hands and fence with it, holding it with both hands, thereby reducing the fatigue of one hand. By medieval standards, a one and a half hand sword was chest-high to the owner. This length allows you to keep the opponent with a one-handed sword at a greater distance and thus get the opportunity to strike from a greater distance. Now it is not uncommon for a bastard sword to become a weapon for a beginner who is just embarking on the path of comprehending the basics of fencing. This type of sword is widely used among both role players and reenactors of the Middle Ages.

Two-handed swords , as a rule, these are large, heavy knightly swords of the espadon type, fencing with such a sword requires considerable physical strength and skills. This sword is designed for holding and fencing with two hands, thanks to its blade length of more than 110 cm, it is a weapon long range. By medieval standards, a two-handed sword was chin-deep to the wearer. In general, two-handed swords are very dangerous in fencing, as they very often cause significant injuries. At the moment, swords of this type are quite rare in the role-playing and reenactment movement. In the role-playing movement, this sword has gained relevance due to the fact that such swords, thanks to the rules of combat interaction in a role-playing game, cause more damage to the enemy than a one-handed or one-and-a-half-handed sword. But their manufacture requires a significant amount and high quality of the material, coupled with the high skills of the master - therefore, two-handed swords are much less common than one and a half handed or double-handed ones. In addition, such swords often become artifacts or other symbols of magic in an RPG. In the movement of reenactors of the Middle Ages, the double-dealer is not widely used due to the fact that in order to work with two hands during duels or buhurts, a fencer needs a very high-quality protective armor complex.

The indicated classification and sizes of swords are relative and taken from our experience and the experience of other craftsmen. So, for example, in Japan, a 50 cm long sword, like a wakizashi, or a 70 cm long sword, like a katana, have a two-handed grip. With the same success, the European bastard can be with a two-handed grip.

Like the pommel, the hilt is included in the system blade balancing. Especially this statement applies to swords made according to the "welded glass" system and then according to the system of "steel pipe", "welded steel plates". For historical swords, this is less relevant, because the hilt of such swords is made of wood, although, for example, the ninja sword, shinobi-ken, has an all-metal sword hilt.

Guards (crosses, the name "kresalo" is also found)

sword guard- this element of the sword hilt is designed to protect the hand during fencing, from blows with the blade of the enemy's sword. Various countries and peoples created guards of various shapes. In addition to the entire guard, it performs the function of balancing the sword.

Shank

on the guard can be either present or absent. It is believed that the presence of a shank on the sword allows the blade to better absorb the impact energy and thereby protect the blade from vibration and loosening in the hilt.

2) Consider in more detail the individual parts of the blade:

sword blade

sword blade- the sharp edge of a cutting, chopping tool (interpretation dictionary, Ozhegov); the sharp side (working part) of the blade (Historical Dictionary). So, the blade is the combat, cutting part of the blade.

- groove, longitudinal recess on the blade. The first and most obvious function of the fullers is to lighten the blade: with the same dimensions, the blade with fullers has significantly less weight. If the valleys are formed by a cutting tool in a homogeneous material, then with a slight decrease in mechanical strength (compared to the workpiece), weight is noticeably lost (especially with wide valleys on a long blade). When bending and twisting, the middle part of the blade is slightly loaded, so it can be removed almost painlessly. In cross section, the blade with symmetrical wide valleys is similar to an I-beam, which is known in architecture for its significant rigidity with low mass. According to some sources, the I-profile in architecture was borrowed from bladed weapons. If the dol is performed by forging, then in this place (usually closer to the butt) the blade material is hardened, which makes it possible to form the blade by forging without fear of significant deformation (curvature) in the plane of the blade, a strong “lifting” of the blade tip above the line of the butt. During heat treatment, a thin blade and a thick butt of the blade are heated and cooled unevenly. The valleys are leveling temperature conditions, reducing the mass of the thick part of the blade. The balance of the blade-hilt changes with dolami. On some types of knives, wide valleys prevent sticking (freezing in winter conditions) of the cut product on the blade, reducing the area of ​​contact between the blade bare and the cut plane. The aesthetic function is most significant on short-bladed weapons and tools. Dol gives the blade external swiftness and aggressiveness, adds a third dimension (depth) to the plane of the knife, carries an associative load, because it is associated in culture with the romance of long-bladed weapons, criminal finks and is emotionally colored called "blood flow".
Blade edges

- this is the part of the sword directly intended for inflicting a chopping, cutting blow on the enemy. Depending on the type and kind, the sword can be double-edged, i.e. have two edges, or have only one, like a falchion, saber, broadsword, katana. There were also trihedral blades and tetrahedral blades (estok, konchar), but they were exclusively piercing weapons and served to pierce armor. The internal section of the blade is different, it can be a rhombus, an oval, etc.
point

- The point is intended for stabbing. In the early Middle Ages, it was often more sharply simply rounded off. But already at the time crusades the tip of the sword was sharpened for stabbing in weak spots armor.

Sheath

- designed to protect the sword from the effects of the external environment, as well as to carry the sword.
Mouth of sword scabbard

- a metal plate that performs a decorative function, in addition, it serves to strengthen the entrance to the scabbard, preventing the halves of the scabbard from dispersing.
Scabbard tip

- a metal overlay that performs a decorative function, like the mouth of the sword, in addition, it serves to tighten the skin of which, as a rule, the sword is fitted.
The mouth and tip appeared during the Crusades. And they were borrowed from the scabbard of oriental swords.

It has a fairly simple design: a long blade with a handle, while swords have many forms and uses. The sword is more convenient than the ax, which is one of its predecessors. The sword is adapted for inflicting chopping and stabbing blows, as well as for parrying enemy blows. Longer than a dagger and not easily concealed in clothing, the sword is a noble weapon in many cultures, a status symbol. He had a special significance, being at the same time a work of art, a family jewel, a symbol of war, justice, honor, and of course glory.

The structure of the sword

The sword usually consists of the following elements:

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f. Blade (sharpened part of the blade)
g. Point (stabbing part)

There are many options for the shape of the sections of the blade. Usually the shape of the blade depends on the purpose of the weapon, as well as on the desire to combine stiffness and lightness in the blade. The figure shows some double-edged (positions 1, 2) and single-edged (positions 3, 4) variants of blade shapes.

There are three basic forms of sword blades. Each of them has its own advantages:

• The straight blade (a) is intended primarily for thrusting.
• The blade, curved back towards the butt (b), inflicts a deep cut wound upon impact.
• A blade curved forward towards the edge (c) is effective for cutting, especially when it has a wide and heavy top.

It is important to understand that the specialization of the sword in one type of strike did not make other types impossible - a thrust can be delivered with a saber, and a cutting blow with a sword.

When choosing a sword, civilians were guided mainly by fashion trends. The military, on the other hand, tried to find the perfect blade, combining the same efficiency in both chopping and stabbing.

Africa and Middle East

In most of these regions the sword is a very common weapon, but in Africa it is rare and difficult to date. Most of the swords shown here ended up in Western museums and collectors thanks to travelers from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

1. Double-edged sword, Gabon, West Africa. The thin blade is made of steel, the hilt of the sword is wrapped with brass and copper wire.
2. Takouba, sword of the Tuareg tribe of the Sahara.
3. Flissa, sword of the Kabyle tribe, Morocco. Single-edged blade, engraved and inlaid with brass.
4. Cascara, straight double-edged sword of the Bagirmi people, Sahara. In style, this sword is close to Sudanese swords.
5. Double-edged sword of the East African Maasai. The rhombic section of the blade, the guard is missing.
6. Shotel, a double-edged sword with a double curved blade, Ethiopia. The crescent shape of the sword is designed to strike the enemy behind his shield.
7. A Sudanese sword with a characteristic straight double-edged blade and cross guard.
8. Arabic sword, 18th century The blade is probably of European origin. The silver hilt of the sword is gilded.
9. Arabic sword, Longola, Sudan. The double-edged steel blade is decorated with a geometric ornament and the image of a crocodile. The hilt of the sword is made of ebony and Ivory.

Near East

1. Kilich (key), Turkey. The example shown in the figure has a blade of the 15th century, and the hilt of the 18th century. Often, at the top, the kilij blade has an elman - an expanded part with a straight blade.
2. Scimitar, classical form, Turkey. A sword with a forward-curved, single-edged blade. The bone hilt has a large pommel, there is no guard.
3. Scimitar with a silver handle. The blade is decorated with corals. Turkey.
4. Saif, a curved saber with a characteristic pommel. It is found everywhere where the Arabs lived.
5. Checker, Caucasus. Circassian origin, widely used by Russian cavalry. the blade of this specimen is dated 1819, Persia.
6. Dagger, Caucasus. The dagger could reach the size of a short sword, one of such specimens is presented here.
7. Shamshir, a typical form. Persian with a curved blade and a characteristic handle.
8. Shamshir with a wavy blade, Persia. The steel handle is adorned with gold inlay.
9. 18. Quadara. Big dagger. The handle is made of horn. The blade is decorated with etching and gold notch.

Indian subcontinent

The region of India and adjacent areas is rich in various types of swords. India produced the best steel blades in the world with luxurious decorations. In some cases, it is difficult to give the correct name to some types of blades, to determine the time and place of their manufacture, so that a thorough study of them is still ahead. The dates indicated refer only to the examples depicted.

1. Chora (Khyber), a heavy single-edged sword of the Afghan and Pashtun tribes. Afghan-Pakistan border.
2. . Sword with a curved blade and disc-shaped hilt, India. This copy was found in Northern India, XVII century.
3. Tulvar (talwar) with a wide blade. Was the executioner's weapon. This copy is of Northern India origin, XVIII-XIX centuries.
4. Tulwar (talwar). Steel handle in the Punjabi style with a safety shackle. Indore, India. End of the 18th century
5. , steel handle with gilding in the "Old Indian" style. Double-edged straight blade. Nepal. 18th century
6. Khanda. The handle is made in the style of "Indian basket" with a process for gripping with both hands. Marathi people. 18th century
7. Sosun pattah. The handle is made in the style of "Indian basket". Forward-curved single edge reinforced blade. Central India. 18th century
8. South Indian sword. Steel handle, square wooden pommel. The blade is curved forward. Madras. 16th century
9. Sword from the temple of the Nayar people. Brass handle, double-edged steel blade. Thanjavur, South India. 18th century
10. South Indian sword. Steel handle, double-edged wavy blade. Madras. 18th century
11. . An Indian sword with a gauntlet - a steel guard that protected the hand to the forearm. Decorated with engraving and gilding. Oudh (now Uttar Pradesh). 18th century
12. Adyar katti of typical shape. A short heavy blade curved forward. The handle is made of silver. Coorg, Southwest India.
13. Zafar Takeh, India. Attribute of the ruler at audiences. The top of the handle is made in the form of an armrest.
14. ("stranger"). This name was used by the Indians for European blades with Indian handles. Here is a Maratha sword with a German blade from the 17th century.
15. Double-edged two-handed sword with hollow iron pommel. Central India. 17th century
16. Bark. The blade is curved forward, has a single blade with a "pulled" top. Nepal. 18th century
17. . Long narrow blade. It was widespread in the 19th century. Nepal, circa 1850
18. Kukri. Iron handle, elegant blade. Nepal, circa 19th century
19. Kukri. Was in service with the Indian Army in World War II. Manufactured by a contractor in North India. 1943
20. Ram Dao. Sword used for animal sacrifice in Nepal and northern India.

Far East

1. Tao. Sword of the Kachin tribe, Assam. The example shown here shows the most common blade shape among many known in the region.
2. Tao (noklang). Two-handed sword, Khasi people, Assam. The handle of the sword is iron, the finish is made of brass.
3. Dha. Single-edged sword, Myanmar. The cylindrical hilt of the sword is covered with white metal. Blade inlaid with silver and copper.
4. Castane. The sword has a carved wooden handle and a protective steel shackle. Decorated with silver and brass inlay. Sri Lanka.
5. Single-edged Chinese iron sword. The handle is a blade petiole wrapped with a cord.
6. Talibon. Short sword of Philippine Christians. The hilt of the sword is made of wood and braided with reed.
7. Barong. Short sword of the Moro people, Philippines.
8. Mandau (parang ihlang). Sword of the Dayak tribe - bounty hunters, Kalimantan.
9. Parang Pandit. Sword of the Sea Dayak tribe, Southeast Asia. The sword has a single-edged, forward-curved blade.
10. Campilan. Single-edged sword of the Moro and Sea Dayak tribes. The handle is made of wood and decorated with carvings.
11. Klewang. Sword from the island of Sula Vesi, Indonesia. The sword has a single-edged blade. The handle is made of wood and decorated with carvings.

Europe of the Bronze and Early Iron Ages

The history of the European sword is not so much a process of improving the functionality of the blade, but of changing it under the influence of fashion trends. Bronze and iron swords were replaced by steel ones, the design was adapted to new battle theories, but no innovations led to a complete rejection of the old forms.

1. Short sword. Central Europe, Early Bronze Age. The blade and hilt of the sword are connected by riveting.
2. Curved single-edged short sword, Sweden. 1600-1350 BC. The sword is made from a single piece of bronze.
3. Bronze sword of Homeric times, Greece. OK. 1300 BC This copy was found in Mycenae.
4. Long solid bronze sword, one of the Baltic islands. 1200-1000 BC.
5. Late Bronze Age sword, Central Europe. 850-650 AD BC.
6. Iron sword, Hallstatt culture, Austria. 650-500 AD BC. The hilt of the sword is made of ivory and amber.
7. - the iron sword of the Greek hoplites (heavily armed infantry). Greece. Approximately VI century. BC.
8. Falcata - an iron single-edged sword, Spain, around the 5th-6th centuries. BC. This type of sword was also used in classical Greece.
9. Iron blade of the sword, La Tène culture. Around the 6th century BC. This copy was found in Switzerland.
10. An iron sword. Aquileia, Italy. The hilt of the sword is made of bronze. Around the 3rd century BC.
11. Gallic iron sword. Department of Aube, France. Anthropomorphic bronze handle. Around the 2nd century BC.
12. Iron sword, Cumbria, England. The handle of the sword is made of bronze and decorated with enamel. Around the 1st century
13. Gladius. Iron Roman short sword. Beginning of the 1st century
14. Late Roman gladius. Pompeii. The edges of the blade are parallel, the tip is shortened. End of the 1st century

Europe of the Middle Ages

Throughout the early Middle Ages, the sword was a very valuable weapon, especially in Northern Europe. Many Scandinavian swords have richly decorated hilts, and X-ray examination of them has revealed a very high quality of their blades. However, the late medieval sword, despite its significant status as a knightly weapon, often has the usual cruciform shape and a simple iron blade; only the pommel of the sword gave the masters some room for imagination.

Early medieval swords were forged with wide blades designed for slashing. From the 13th century began to spread narrow blades, designed for stabbing. It is assumed that this trend was caused by the increased use of armor, which was easier to pierce with a piercing blow at the joints.

To improve the balance of the sword, a heavy pommel was attached to the end of the hilt, as a counterweight to the blade. Tops had a variety of forms, the most common of them:

1. mushroom
2. In the shape of a teapot
3. American walnut
4. discoid
5. in the form of a wheel
6. triangular
7. Fishtail
8. pear-shaped

Viking sword (right), 10th century. The handle is wrapped in silver foil with an embossed "wicker" ornament, which is tinted with copper and niello. The double-edged steel blade is wide and shallow. This sword was found in one of the Swedish lakes. Currently stored in the State historical museum in Stockholm.

Middle Ages

Claymore (claymore, claymore, claymore, from the Gallic claidheamh-mòr - “big sword”) is a two-handed sword that has become widespread among the Scottish highlanders since the end of the 14th century. Being the main weapon of the foot soldiers, the claymore was actively used in skirmishes between tribes or border battles with the British. Claymore is the smallest among all its brethren. This, however, does not mean that the weapon is small: the average length of the blade is 105-110 cm, and together with the hilt the sword reached 150 cm. distinctive feature there was a characteristic bend of the arches of the cross - down, towards the tip of the blade. This design made it possible to effectively capture and literally pull any long weapon out of the hands of the enemy. In addition, the decoration of the horns of the bow - breaking through in the form of a stylized four-leaf clover - became a distinctive sign by which everyone easily recognized the weapon. In terms of size and effectiveness, the claymore was perhaps the best option among all two-handed swords. It was not specialized, and therefore it was used quite effectively in any combat situation.

Zweihander

Zweihänder (German Zweihänder or Bidenhänder / Bihänder, “two-handed sword”) is a weapon of a special division of landsknechts, consisting of a double salary (doppelsoldners). If the claymore is the most modest sword, then the zweihander was indeed impressive in size and in rare cases reached two meters in length, including the hilt. In addition, it was notable for its double guard, where special “boar fangs” separated the unsharpened part of the blade (ricasso) from the sharpened one.

Such a sword was a weapon of very limited use. The combat technique was quite dangerous: the owner of the zweihander acted in the forefront, pushing away (or even completely chopping) the shaft of enemy lances and spears. Owning this monster required not only remarkable strength and courage, but also considerable skill as a swordsman, so that mercenaries received double salaries not for beautiful eyes. The technique of fighting with two-handed swords bears little resemblance to the usual blade fencing: such a sword is much easier to compare with a reed. Of course, the zweihander did not have a scabbard - he was worn on the shoulder like an oar or a spear.

Flamberg

Flamberg ("flaming sword") is a natural evolution of a regular straight sword. The curvature of the blade made it possible to increase the striking ability of the weapon, however, in the case of large swords, the blade turned out to be too massive, fragile and still could not penetrate high-quality armor. In addition, the Western European fencing school suggests using the sword mainly as a stabbing weapon, and therefore, curved blades were not suitable for it. By the XIV-XVI centuries. /bm9icg===> For example, the achievements of metallurgy led to the fact that the chopping sword became practically useless on the battlefield - it simply could not penetrate armor made of hardened steel with one or two blows, which played a critical role in mass battles. Gunsmiths began to actively look for a way out of this situation, until they finally came up with the concept of a wave blade that has a series of successive anti-phase bends. Such swords were difficult to manufacture and were expensive, but the effectiveness of the sword was undeniable. Due to a significant reduction in the area of ​​the striking surface, upon contact with the target, the destructive effect was greatly enhanced. In addition, the blade acted like a saw, cutting through the affected surface. The wounds inflicted by the flamberg did not heal for a very long time. Some commanders sentenced captured swordsmen to death solely for carrying such weapons. The Catholic Church also cursed such swords and branded them as inhumane weapons.

Espadon

Espadon (French espadon from Spanish espada - sword) is a classic type of two-handed sword with a four-sided blade cross-section. Its length reached 1.8 meters, and the guard consisted of two massive arches. The center of gravity of the weapon often shifted to the tip - this increased the penetrating power of the sword. In battle, such weapons were used by unique warriors, who usually had no other specialization. Their task was to break up the enemy battle formation, swinging huge blades, overturning the first ranks of the enemy and pave the way for the rest of the army. Sometimes these swords were used in the battle with the cavalry - due to the size and mass of the blade, the weapon made it possible to very effectively cut the legs of horses and cut through the armor of heavy infantry. Most often the weight military weapons ranged from 3 to 5 kg, and heavier specimens were award or ceremonial. Sometimes weighted replica warblades were used for training purposes.

estok

Estoc (fr. estoc) is a two-handed stabbing weapon designed to pierce knightly armor. A long (up to 1.3 meters) tetrahedral blade usually had a stiffener. If the previous swords were used as a means of countermeasures against the cavalry, then the estoc, on the contrary, was the weapon of the rider. Riders wore it on the right side of the saddle, so that in case of loss of a peak, they had an additional means of self-defense. In equestrian combat, the sword was held with one hand, and the blow was delivered due to the speed and mass of the horse. In a skirmish on foot, the warrior took it in two hands, compensating for the lack of mass own strength. Some examples of the 16th century have a complex guard, like a sword, but most often there was no need for it.