Historic Replicas

Swords have long been the most famous and highly regarded weapons in human warfare.  Our site features replica swords from many different historical eras, and I thought it would be cool to take a look at the way they’ve changed over time.  The development of new and more effective weapons was dependent on man’s ability to work with metal.  The first bladed weapons were daggers, short, knife-like weapons used at close range.  As Bronze Age blacksmiths gradually uncovered the secrets of metallurgy and the forge, they found they could make longer, more durable blades. The sword had obvious advantages in battle; it was balanced, relatively lightweight, and could be used both to attack and defend.  It’s no wonder, then, that peoples across the globe eventually learned to craft and use them.  The oldest known swords were discovered in Harrapa, Pakistan, and were made around 2300 BC.   Smiths who worked with bronze faced a common obstacle:  these were no replica swords, the metal would bend and even break if its shape was too long and slender.  Bronze age swords were usually between 20 and 35 inches long, and in Turkey and the Middle East, sword makers overcame the durability problem with a clever design.  Bronze age swords had broad, leaf-shaped blades, wide in the middle tapered to a sharp point.  The weapons were sturdy, effective, and exquisitely beautiful.  From then on, swords were more than mere instruments of war; they were works of art.