An Eastern-Roman double-edged sword with parallel-sided blade and broad pointed tip, battle nicks to both cutting edges, the rhomboidal lower guard with a chip-carved gilt iron plate to the frontal face, divided into sections with spiralling garnet cloisons and the forming panels filled with geometric interlace of garnet and gold ornaments; the exceptionally well preserved wooden hilt ornamented with four gold sleeves, each ornamented with concentric circles; the pommel comprising a flattened agate disc, fastened with an iron nail set with garnet cloisons forming a flower; accompanied by silver elements from the scabbard, two with eagle protomes.

PROVENANCE:
Property of a European gentleman living in London; from his grandfather's collection by descent in 1989; formerly in the family collection since at least the 1970s; accompanied by an archaeological report by military specialist Dr. Raffaele D’Amato and a positive metal test from an Oxford specialist; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10885-180932.

LITERATURE:
See Behmer, E.,Das zweischneidige Schwert der germanischen Völkerwanderungszeit, Stockholm, 1939; Lebedinsky, I., Armes et guerriers barbares au temps des grandes invasions, Paris, 2001; Spier, J., Treasures of the Ferrell collection, Wiesbaden, 2010.

FOOTNOTES:
The sword belongs to the type IV of the Behmer classification of the Germanic swords, originating from the Sarmatian-Alanian long sword. Similar scabbard elements are visible on the sword from Phanagoria, within Krasnodar Krai (Lebedinsky, 2001, p.118). It is quite natural that Type IV swords have been found in the countries conquered or settled by the Goths in southern, central and Western Europe. Their relative rarity in these areas depends, at least in part, on the early Christianisation of the Goths and the associated custom to no longer place weapons in the graves. The main importance of our specimen is the exceptionally preserved wooden hilt and its ornamentation. One of the main characteristics of this group is the highly decorated guard, richly ornamented with garnets and gold, and this element has been preserved in our sword, together with the agate pommel. The origin of this decoration is still controversial matter, but most of the scholars accept the hypothesis that this kind of decoration, born probably in the Caucasus regions during the 4th century, soon spread to the Roman Empire. By the early 5th century, the Byzantine workshops of the imperial capital of Constantinople were producing very fine objects with inlaid garnets, including sword guards. These swords were used by the Roman soldiers, of Latin, Greek or Germanic origin, and naturally were also given as gifts to the Barbarian chieftain allies of the empire.