LOT 0310

Roman Pattern-Welded Iron Spatha

CIRCA LATE 4TH CENTURY A.D.

21 1/2 in. (287 grams, 54.6 cm).

A section of a double-edged long sword (spatha) of Illerup-Wyhl typology; half of the blade still intact with the tang created in later times by shortening a part of the blade; narrow parallel cutting edges tapering towards the point; both sides showing pattern-welding in form of ZS stripes and torsion technique B.II.1.2.

Ex private collection of Mr M.B., Mainz, Germany, since the 1980s.
Acquired from the above, 2004.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11976-210915.

Cf. Miks, C., Studien zur Romischen Schwertbewaffnung in der Kaiserzeit, I-II Banden, Rahden, 2007, no.536.58, for similar.

Dr Miks refers to the spathae of the 'lllerup-Wyhl' type I as to a large group of blades which in terms of their proportions, dimensions and shape, are probably a mixture of blades of the more classical 'Straubing-Nydam' and 'Lauriacum-Hromowka' types of long Roman swords. They are one of the most complicated category of late Roman swords and therefore difficult to clearly identify. The chosen double designation (lllerup-Wyhl) takes into account the circumstance that the blades of this category could be identified in a lighter, narrower shape, with several representatives in the concentration ‘C’ of the moor finds from lllerup Ädal (Miks, 2007, A321), while heavy and broad specimens may be visible, like the well-preserved blade from body grave 22 of a late Roman influenced grave field in Wyhl (Miks, 2007, A798).