Long Sword

The Bronze Age, the Birth of Swords

The Bronze Age was the time in which humans began to manufacture and use metal-bladed weapons. Swords developed from what we know as the dagger. The oldest sword-like weapon that has been found was in Arslantepe, Turkey and was dated around 3300 BC. Swords which were longer than 60 centimeters were not practical during the Bronze Age. At longer lengths the tensile strength of bronze starts to decrease rapidly, making the sword super susceptible to bending. It was not until stronger allows such as steel and improved heat treatment processes were developed that long swords became a practical weapon for combat.

Earlier in the Bronze Age the hilt allowed for a manageable grip and prevented the hand from slipping during a thrust. These early swords typically had smaller and slender blades that were used for thrusting. Later, swords became used for both cutting and thrusting. A European sword known as the leaf-shaped blade was most common in North-West Europe at the end of the Bronze Age. This was especially true in the UK and in Ireland.

Sword production was also prevalent in China during the Bronze Age Shang Dynasty. In fact, the technology for bronze swords reached its highest point during the Qin Dynasty and the Warring States. During the Warring States period, very unique technologies were put into use. This included casting high tin edges over a lower, softer tin core as well as the application of diamond shaped designs into the blade. The Chinese also used a high tin bronze (17-21% tin) while most cultures preferred a lower tin bronze (typically 10% tin). With this lower tin, the sword would bend when stressed too much as opposed to the Chinese tin that simply brakes. It wasn’t until the Han period in which iron had completely replaced bronze.

Iron swords were the weapons that became completely popular during the 13th century BC. Because of its ability to be mass-produced easily, and the wider availability, the Bronze Age slowly moved in the Iron Age. The earliest iron blades were hardly comparable with later steel blades. But the Iron Age soon turned in the Middle Ages, thus the popularity of swords increased even more, far into the Renaissance and in certain cultures, even into the modern age. Swords are and always have been a strong, reliable weapon that will never die away.

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Italian Long Sword & Dagger : Cold Steel