LOT 0265

Medieval Single-Handed Long Sword with Crosses

MID 10TH-MID 12TH CENTURY A.D.

39 3/4 in. (1.31 kg, 101 cm).

With a broad tapering blade, the wide and shallow fullers with inlaid decoration to both sides comprising a Greek cross within a circle, a cross potent and a wheel; long, straight guard and a short grip with a plain Brazil nut pommel. [No Reserve]

Ing Peter Till collection, Austria 1990s.
UK collection, 2000s.
Property of an East Sussex, UK, teacher.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Cf. Oakeshott, J.R.E., The Archaeology of the weapons, London, 1960; Peirce, I., Swords of the Viking Age, Suffolk, 2002; Nicolle, D., Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era, 1050-1350, vol I, London, 1999; the sword finds a good parallel with a specimen from Spain, published by Peirce (2002, p.124); with a sword dated to circa 1200, from Germany, preserved in the Wallace collection, London, England (Nicolle, 1999, fig.424); with a sword from Dresden, with the name INGELRII on one side and the phrase HOMO DEI on the other, dated to about 1100; also with a sword once in the Oakeshott collection with the mark of Carrocium, dated to around the 11th century.

The sword is of Oakeshott Type Xa or XI and Petersen Type X. According to Oakeshott (1960, p.204) the swords of type X were a development of Viking sword type VIII with slight modifications. Oakeshott describes such swords as common in the late Viking age (late 10th century) and remaining in use until the first quarter of the 13th century.