Falcata handle with decorative inlays?

[Flavius Promotus]

Dear fratres,

a friend of mine has asked me if I knew anything about a falcata sword with decorative inlays on the grip/handle, but unfortunately I know nothing about such a specimen.

Can any 'Republicans' or 'Greeks' help me?

Florian

[Marcus Germanicus Ferox]

Hi Florian

Mark from the Hoplite Association here.... Sounds very similar to one of the Deepeeka weapons which has "bone" inlay and decorative engraving on the handle. Check outn the Armae website.. they have some good photos.

hope that helps

Mark.

[hoplite14gr]

Kopis example in National Archeology Museum in Athens have traces of "inlayng". They also have handles in nicely worked animal forms.
Please check in the Greek section for images.

Kind regards

[Flavius Promotus]

Thanks my friends - unfortunately the relevant falcata has turned out to be on display in the Archaeological National Museum at Madrid (or in the Cordoba Museum?). It is called the Iberian falcata from Almedinilla.
Do any of our Spanish fellow-Romans have close up images?
(please say yes ) )

PS: I have already found a couple of URLS with references to this sword, but does anybody know of a decent publication, perchance with sketches/images of the hilt?

[Thersites]

See:
Fernando Quesada- Sanz (1992) Arma y símbolo. La falcata ibérica. Alicante.

Fernando Quesada (1997) El armamento ibérico. Monographies Instrumentum 3. Montagnac (France)
In this second book see vol. I, pp. 61-171 everything you would ever like to know about falcatas from a scholarly and a reenactor point of view. Specially pp. 109-125 (silver inlay decoration including figures of the falcata you are looking for.)
See also vol. II, p. 963, Plate IID. Close up picture of that piece.

Also, QUESADA SANZ, F.; ZAMORA, M.; REQUENA, F. (2000) "Itinerant smiths in the Iberian Iron Age? (6th-2nd centuries BC)". In M. Feugère, M.Gustin(eds.).Iron, Blacksmiths and Tools. Monographies Instrumentum, pp. 15-19. Montagnac. on silver inlay in falcatas

All these provide plenty on info on this and many other falcatas with silver inlay decoration, including close up pictures of the Almedinilla MAN 10475 falcata, and constructional details.


See also http://www.ffil.uam.es/equus/ (click on thumbnail to the right) for a page on Iberian weapons and warfare, including falcatas.
Cheers

[Thersites]

See exploded view

[Thersites]

Another

[Thersites]

Finally an extra. Detail of hil of another falcata with silver inlay, this from Carranza (Granada). Height of the fragment about 3.5 cm.

[Flavius Promotus]

Dear Fernando,

thank you so much! Laudes popint granted, more will follow