04-14-2007, 06:29 AM
I don't know how widely known this is so I thought I'd post it and some info on it.
http://www.antiquemilitaryhistory.com/i ... ladius.JPG
This sheathed iron sword was uncovered during excavations at Jericho in 1986. Four "usiform ungientaria" (I have no idea what that means
) were found in the grave, and this particular type is apparently found commonly in use in the second century BC but no later than the very early first century BC. It was found 1.8 metres above the skeleton of a 22 to 24 year-old male in the backfill of the tomb, leaning against a wall.
From the excavation report:
"It was broken into 5 fragments along with the very fragmentary remnants of the scabbard. Overall length of the sword is 89 cm, with the tang constituting 13 cm and the blade 76 cm. The waisted blade with downward-sloping shoulders evolves from the rectangular-sectioned tang and tapers to an 18-cm-long point. The lenticular blade is 5.9 cm wide at the hilt and narrows to 5.1 cm, 16 cm from the shoulders. The main part of the blade is 5.2 cm wide and widens to 5.3 cm at the beginning of the point. The thickness of the blade varies from 1.5 cm at the shoulders to 1.2 cm in the main part, and 1.3 cm at the point."
The author thought that it was ritually broken (in the image, the areas of warping are marked "X").
Again from the text:
"The iron scabbard of the sword, of which part of the chape and traces of the frame (the latter still adhering to the upper part of the blade, see "Y" in the image) have survived, is of particular interest. The tapering U-guttering has a semicircular chape that accommodated the point's tip (1.1x0.9 cm; thickness: 0.3 cm). An iron ring found together with the sword appears to be part of the scabbard's suspension device. The much corded item has an external diameter of 2.5-2.6 cm and an internal diameter of 0.8 cm."
Apparently, a very close parallel to this sword comes from Defenna in Egypt, an example which was broken into four fragments together with a copper-alloy scabbard identical in shape to this sword's. That sword apparently was found with a ridged ivory handle which is typically Roman. This sword, it should be noted, had no solid date but was thought to date to "the Persian period" (presumably Sassanid).
The author states very succinctly:
"The evolution process of [the gladius hispaniensis] saw a gradual change in the length of the blade. With a 76-cm long blade, the sword from Jericho is the longest of its type yet discovered. Taking into account the evidence of the pottero from the tomb, the length factor and parallel examples from the West, we would like to suggest that the sword be dated to the first half of the second century B.C.E."
What's the RAT opinion of this?
http://www.antiquemilitaryhistory.com/i ... ladius.JPG
This sheathed iron sword was uncovered during excavations at Jericho in 1986. Four "usiform ungientaria" (I have no idea what that means
) were found in the grave, and this particular type is apparently found commonly in use in the second century BC but no later than the very early first century BC. It was found 1.8 metres above the skeleton of a 22 to 24 year-old male in the backfill of the tomb, leaning against a wall.From the excavation report:
"It was broken into 5 fragments along with the very fragmentary remnants of the scabbard. Overall length of the sword is 89 cm, with the tang constituting 13 cm and the blade 76 cm. The waisted blade with downward-sloping shoulders evolves from the rectangular-sectioned tang and tapers to an 18-cm-long point. The lenticular blade is 5.9 cm wide at the hilt and narrows to 5.1 cm, 16 cm from the shoulders. The main part of the blade is 5.2 cm wide and widens to 5.3 cm at the beginning of the point. The thickness of the blade varies from 1.5 cm at the shoulders to 1.2 cm in the main part, and 1.3 cm at the point."
The author thought that it was ritually broken (in the image, the areas of warping are marked "X").
Again from the text:
"The iron scabbard of the sword, of which part of the chape and traces of the frame (the latter still adhering to the upper part of the blade, see "Y" in the image) have survived, is of particular interest. The tapering U-guttering has a semicircular chape that accommodated the point's tip (1.1x0.9 cm; thickness: 0.3 cm). An iron ring found together with the sword appears to be part of the scabbard's suspension device. The much corded item has an external diameter of 2.5-2.6 cm and an internal diameter of 0.8 cm."
Apparently, a very close parallel to this sword comes from Defenna in Egypt, an example which was broken into four fragments together with a copper-alloy scabbard identical in shape to this sword's. That sword apparently was found with a ridged ivory handle which is typically Roman. This sword, it should be noted, had no solid date but was thought to date to "the Persian period" (presumably Sassanid).
The author states very succinctly:
"The evolution process of [the gladius hispaniensis] saw a gradual change in the length of the blade. With a 76-cm long blade, the sword from Jericho is the longest of its type yet discovered. Taking into account the evidence of the pottero from the tomb, the length factor and parallel examples from the West, we would like to suggest that the sword be dated to the first half of the second century B.C.E."
What's the RAT opinion of this?
Ruben
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
