Replica swords

[Alanus]

To Robert, and especially Joe

With the current state of affairs, it's impossible to a young American person to get a handle on the roots of "western" civilization, not to mention what a Roman or Greek sword actually felt like... if it still retained a hilt. The "museum people" get nervous even if you wear white cotton gloves, even if you are actually handling 50-year-old wood, not ancient iron. I don't expect to see a change but rather an oncoming and total ignorance of history in the coming generations. This has already happened in India, the major source of inaccurate blades... and sundry other "reenactment" items.

Whatever has been said on this thread is accurate in its criticism. A decade ago, when I first looked into "living history," I was shocked by the imbalance and "dogginess" of Roman sword repros. At that time, I was familiar with Chinese reproductions; and knowing that late Sarmatian swords were exceedingly close to actual Chinese versions, I opted to become a Sarmatian reenactor. It's a thrill. First, because we can trace the actual origin of "western" culture to the ancient steppe and the introduction of the Indo-European languages that presaged Greek and Latin. My Sarmatian-Chinese sword, and my grandson's sword, both have unmatched balance. Mine is clay-tempered. Both are sharp enough to cut a dropped sheet of paper. And most important, they haven't varied in quality or style in the last 2,000 years. I thank the Chinese for passing the swordmaker's skill down to the present year.

Armed with an accurately produced sword and bow, also decent armor, I'm proud to give talks at high schools and libraries about a unique and little-understood ancient people. Kids and adults can see history as something tangible... and incredibly interesting.