͞dŚĞ^ǁŽƌĚʹ &ŽƌŵĂŶĚdŚŽƵŐŚƚ͟ Conference proceedings

On 19th/20th EKsϮϬϭϱƚŚĞĐŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞ͞dŚĞ^ǁŽƌĚʹ &ŽƌŵĂŶĚdŚŽƵŐŚƚ͟ʹ the second conference organized by the AG Schwertsymposium ʹ took place at Deutsches Klingenmuseum Solingen, Germany, to accompany ƚŚĞ ŵƵƐĞƵŵ͛Ɛ ĞƉŽŶLJŵŽƵƐ ƐƉĞĐŝĂů ĞdžŚŝďŝƚŝŽŶ͘ dŚĞ ĞdžŚŝďŝƚŝŽŶ ƐŚŽǁƐ European swords dating from Medieval to early Modern times and conveys the manifold practical and symbolic dimensions of that weapon. In that aspect the exhibition is on par with the scientific approach of the AG, which was first laid out at the first Sword symposium 2012.1

The symposium of the year 2012 was aimed at young scientists from the German-speaking area. The ƐĐŽƉĞŽĨ ƚŚŝƐ LJĞĂƌ͛Ɛ ĐŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞ͕ ŚŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ǁĂƐŵƵĐŚ ďƌŽĂĚĞƌ͕ ĂĐĐŽƌĚŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƚŚe significance of the museum and its current exhibition. We welcomed 22 speakers from Austria, France, Great Britain, Italy, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany. The audience, too, came from all over Europe and the US. Like the speakers, it mirrored the interdisciplinary approach of the conference: Next to archaeologists, conservators, historians and linguists sat blacksmiths, collectors and martial artists in the conference room. The chronological order of the papers enabled the audience to set the different aspects of swords from a certain era in relation.

19 NOV 2015: first conference day

After welcoming words by the assistant director of the museum, Dr. Isabell Immel, the conference started with swords from the European Bronze Age.

Dr. des. Jan-Heinrich Bunnefeld (Halle a. d. Saale, Germany) presented his research on use-wear- traces on Nordic bronze swords, which showed that the swords were handled and used, contrary to traditional scientific paradigms which often regarded these swords more as mere decoration or status symbols. He also addressed the question, if the preserved objects give some information about specific workshop-traditions or even craftsmen, deriving some ideas from similarities in construction and design versions.

The usability of Bronze Age swords as weapons was underlined by the paper of Raphael Hermann (Newcastle, United Kingdom). As a member of a project researching Bronze Age weapons and fighting techniques, he presented his experiments with reconstructed bronze weapons. Using methods of experimental archaeology, the team could demonstrate the usefulness and effectiveness ŽĨ ƌŽŶnjĞ ^ǁŽƌĚƐ͘ EŽƚĐŚĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŵĂƌŬƐ ĐƌĞĂƚĞĚ ďLJ ͞ĨŝŐŚƚŝŶŐ͟ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƉůŝĐĂ ǁĞĂƉŽŶƐ ŚĂĚ ďĞĞŶ compared with traces found on archaeological objects, thus identifying specific marks from offensive and defensive actions.

The third paper on Bronze Age weaponry by Dirk Visser (Leiden, Netherlands), who was supposed to talk about the Sword of Buggenum, had to be cancelled due to illness.

The Iron Age was repreƐĞŶƚĞĚďLJƚŚĞĐŽůůĞĂŐƵĞƐƌ͘&ĂďƌŝnjŝŽ^ĂǀŝĂŶĚƌ͘sŝŶĐĞŶnjŽ͛ƌĐŽůĞ;ZŽŵĞ͕ Italy), who talked about swords from burials of the Italian peninsula.

1 Proceedings: http://www.hsozkult.de/conferencereport/id/tagungsberichte-4640; for the conference volume, see http://www.vml.de/d/detail.php?ISBN=978-3-89646-795-9.

ƌ͘ ͛ƌĐŽůĞ ĚĞĂůƚ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ĐŽŵƉĂƌĂďůLJ ůŽŶŐ͕ ĚŽƵďůĞ-edged sword-type from the 7.-5. century BC. Discussing both form and functional properties of the weapons, as well as their typical find context, he argued that the type should be classified as a weapon worn by the italic horse-lords, and must not be confused with later blades of the xiphos type.

Dr. Savi presented a sword of the machaira type. The weapon had been found at Lanuvium as part of a presumably royal grave, containing weaponry as well as sports equipment. He concerned himself with questions about the identity of sword-bearers, and examined the functional characteristics of different sword types. Furthermore, Dr. Savi discussed the terms machaira, kopis, and falcata, and their usefulness in modern research.

Peter Johnsson (Uppsala, Sweden), co-curator of the sword exhibition, stepped in spontaneously for ŝƌŬsŝƐƐĞƌ͕ĂŶĚĚĞůŝǀĞƌĞĚĂƉĂƉĞƌĐŽŶĐĞƌŶŝŶŐŚŝŐŚŵĞĚŝĞǀĂůƐǁŽƌĚƐ͘dƌƵĞƚŽƚŚŝƐLJĞĂƌ͛ƐŵŽƚƚŽ͞ĨŽƌŵ ĂŶĚ ƚŚŽƵŐŚƚ͟ ŚĞ ƚĂůŬĞĚ ĂďŽƵƚ ŚŝƐ ŚLJƉŽƚŚĞƐŝƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŵŝŶĚƐĞƚ ďĞŚŝŶĚ ƌĞĐƵƌƌŝŶŐ ŐĞŽŵĞƚƌŝĐĂů constructions on sacred buildings as well as high Medieval swords.

In the afternoon we left prehistory and listened to a report about the reconstruction of an Early Medieval spatha from Beckum, carried out by the archaeologist Ulrich Lehmann (Bochum, Germany) and the blacksmiths Stefan Roth and Claus Lipka. They could demonstrate that the presented sword had different welded-steel-patterns, achieved with twisted composite-steel rods on both sides of the blade.

Dr. Sue Brunning (London, United Kingdom) discussed the famous Sutton Hoo sword, and remarked on differing details on the front and back panel of the intricately embellished sword hilt. She compared these observations with other pommels showing a similar two-sided design. Dr. Brunning suggested that the use-wear-traces on the soft gold demonstrate how the weapon had been borne ĂƚƚŚĞŽǁŶĞƌ͛ƐƐŝĚĞ͕ĂŶĚǁŚĞƌĞŚŝƐŚĂŶĚŵƵƐƚŚĂǀĞƌĞƐƚĞĚŽŶƚŚĞƉŽŵŵĞů͘

Ingo Petri (Hamburg, Germany) presented a conclusive counter-statement to the hypothesis that the famous Ulfberht-Swords had been made from Indian crucible steel, which has been forwarded in popular media recently. By examining X-ray- and microscope-photographs, he could demonstrate that European steel and fire-welding-techniques had been used in constructing these swords.

Dr. Stefan Mäder (Lucerne, Switzerland) let the audience partake in his recent observations of the Utrecht Psalter. In the manuscript, he had discovered several meticulously drawn swords which should not be there, according to the traditional typochronology of pommel shapes. Dr. Mäder placed these types in the context of the Carolingian Renaissance and encouraged a re-examination of current dating- and categorization-methods.

Nicole Mölk (Innsbruck, Austria) presented the ceremonial sword of Emperor Friedrich II. of Sicily and discussed it as a symbol of union. The sword was embellished with motives and styles from three different cultural backgrounds ʹ Norman, Christian and Muslim ʹ and acted as a legitimating symbol, thus evoking unity of the different ethnic groups on the island of Sicily.

Dr. Robert Jones (Bath, United Kingdom) reported on the well-kept Conyers Falchion from Durham Cathedral. Unusual for its time, it was used as a symbol of tenure, whereas usually knives or other objects were used in this context. Dr. Jones also outlined the symbolic aspects of this sword-type. According to him, the single-edged sword with curved edge was commonly associated with savagery, brutality and otherness, which corresponded with the myths surrounding the cases of land acquisition in question.

Florian Messner (Innsbruck, Austria) presented his current research on medieval swords from Tyrol. As example served a two-handed sword from the 15th century that was found ʹ unusual for that time ʹ as a burial object in a grave that can be attributed to Oscar von Schrofenstein. The skeleton was missing a leg, but the sword, which was deposited on top of this void, showed traces of parasites active in decomposing bodies. Messner discussed the find situation, but also the type of the sword and its similarities to other preserved swords of that time and area.

The last paper of the day was given by Dr. Fabrice Cognot (Dijon, France), who presented an unusual late medieval sword type: Swords with an overly long ricasso and a huge, solid disc-shaped pommel. Dr. Cognot shared his thoughts on two of these swords that carry traces of precious metals and ornamentations which connect the sword-type with the Burgundian dynasty, and discussed possible combat functions of the long ricasso.

After the first conference day, Carsten Voigt, deputy mayor of Solingen, visited the museum to greet the international community of sword-experts, and welcomed us to Solingen, City of Blades. The day was concluded with a plentiful Indian Buffet in the premises of the museum and an opportunity to visit the exhibitions.

20 NOV 2015: second conference day

Friday morning began with some glimpses into archaeological river-ĨŝŶĚƐ͘ ƌ͘ dŽŵĂǎ EĂďĞƌŐoj (Ljubljana, Slowenia) presented swords from the Slowenian National Museum which were found in the river Ljubljanica. He discussed possible motivations for depositing objects in rivers by giving detailed insight in the find zones in and along the watercourse and corresponding roads, rejecting theories of ritually deposited weapons in high medieval times.

The following lecture concerned itself with a specific river-find: Dr. Holger Becker (Bonn, Germany), conservator of the LVR-Landesmusem talked about a sword that was found 2003 in the dried-out riverbed of the Rhine. Dr. Becker had restored and studied the weapon extensively, and explained the necessary steps and methods that have to be taken (and can be taken, thanks to modern equipment) to turn an archaeological object into a speaking historical source. The sword in question is part of the <ůŝŶŐĞŶŵƵƐĞƵŵ͛Ɛ current special exhibition.

Based on three examples from the early 16th century, Dr. Daniel Jaquet (Geneva, Switzerland) discussed the type of practiĐĞƐǁŽƌĚƚŽĚĂLJŽĨƚĞŶĞƌƌŽŶĞŽƵƐůLJĐĂůůĞĚ͞Federschwert͘͟dŚĞƐǁŽƌĚƐŝŶ question have blunt, rounded blades and carry distinctive signs of wear. After a brief overview of the historical terminology and confusions of modern research concerning the sword-type, Dr. Jaquet presented his method for measuring the flexibility of their blades, and its results ʹ most notably, that the blades bend significantly not only on the thrust, but also on the blow.

Matthias Johannes Bauer (Moers, Germany) opened the discussion on fight books with his linguistic ĞdžĂŵŝŶĂƚŝŽŶŽĨƚŚĞĞdžƚĂŶƚĐŽƉŝĞƐŽĨŐĞŶŽůĨĨ͛ƐĨŝŐŚƚŬƐŽĨƚŚĞϭϲ͘ĐĞŶƚƵƌLJ͕ŽŶĞŽĨǁŚŝĐŚĐĂŶďĞ seen in the current exhibition at the Klingenmuseum. Bauer presented various cases of misinterpretations or wrong ǀĂƌŝĂƚŝŽŶƐďĞƚǁĞĞŶƚŚĞŬ͛ƐĨŽƵƌĞĚŝƚŝŽŶƐ͕ĂŶĚĐŽŶĐůƵĚĞĚƚŚĂƚƐƵĐŚ flaws can render the understanding of a fight book, or certain passages, virtually impossible without practical explanation of a fencing master.

Dr. des. Eric Burkart (Trier, Germany) also dealt with the difference between practical and theoretical knowledge, which he pointed out with the help of fight books from the 14th and 15th centuries (mainly those of Hans Talhoffer). He discussed the methodical difficulties of conveying tacit ʹ that is, bodily ʹ knowledge, as well as the pitfalls of trying to reconstruct this non-verbal body-knowledge in a scientific way. According to Burkart, martial arts rely on the face-to-face transmission from teacher to student. Thus, while sword fighting may be re-invented by modern practitioners and scholars, the ͞ŚŝƐƚŽƌŝĐĂůĂƵƚŚĞŶƚŝĐŝƚLJ͟ŽĨƐƵĐŚƌĞĐŽŶƐƚƌƵĐƚĞĚĨĞŶĐŝŶŐƚĞĐŚŶŝƋƵĞƐƌĞŵĂŝŶƐƋƵĞƐƚŝŽŶĂďůĞ͘

Jason-Eleftherios Tzouriadis (Leeds, United Kingdom) took up the strand laid out by Dr. Mäder the day before and concerned himself with the necessity of re-evaluating evolutionistic typologies. Furthermore, he pointed out flaws and errors in existing weapon typologies. Especially in the case of the Medieval sword, where only few closed archaeological finds exist to aid the dating, traditional typochronological approaches are easy to fail, according to Tzouriadis.

The last three papers of the conference went beyond the scope of premodern Europe:

Michael Mattner (Bochum, Germany) gave a brief overview of traditional Japanese blade-types and introduced the Sword kogarasu-maru ;͞ůŝƚƚůĞ ĐƌŽǁ͟Ϳ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĂƵĚŝĞŶĐĞ͘ dŚĞ ǁĞĂƉŽŶ ĨĞĂƚƵƌĞƐ Ă ǀĞƌLJ unusual two-edged blade and, as a family-heirloom of the influential Taira-family, had outstanding symbolical significance. Mattner stressed the value of insignia of power in traditional Japanese culture and argued that the kogarasu-maru may have served as a contestant to the three imperial insignia of the Japanese imperial family.

Dr. Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani (Frankfurt, Germany) depicted the different parts of a Persian Shamshir and their nomenclature, which can be derived from Persian manuscripts. The blades that are made from crucible steel bear characteristic patterns, which are described in detail in historical texts and are sometimes referred to with poetic names. The texts describe not only visually discernable features but also haptics and taste ʹ the last being a feature that Dr. Khorasani could not hitherto confirm on the actual blades.

The last presentation was held by Henry Yallop (Leeds, United Kingdom), who talked about a sword type of the British military from the late 18th century: The pattern 1796 Light Cavalry Sabre (or Sword), which was designed by British military officer John Gaspard Le Marchant and was delivered ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶ ͞ŝŶƐƚƌƵĐƚŝŽŶ ŵĂŶƵĂů͟ - a specifically outlined fencing manual ʹ to members of the British military. The curved shape of the very efficient sabre, albeit of genuine European manufacture (sometimes also from Solingen), is reminiscent of near Eastern and Indian blade-types. Over a short period, this weapon was highly en vogue and was also used by the troops of other countries, e.g. the WƌƵƐƐŝĂŶŵŝůŝƚĂƌLJǁŚŽĂĚĂƉƚĞĚŝƚ;ǁŝƚŚŵŝŶŽƌĐŚĂŶŐĞƐͿĂƐƚŚĞĨĂŵŽƵƐ͞Blücher-Säbel͘͟

Final discussion ʹ end of the conference

The conclusion of the scientific conference program gathered thoughts, impressions and results of ƚŚĞƚǁŽĚĂLJƐ͘dŚĞĚLJŶĂŵŝĐĚŝƐĐƵƐƐŝŽŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŽĨĂ͞tŽƌůĚĂĨĠ͟ĂůůŽǁĞĚĂůůƉĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂŶƚƐƚŽĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƚĞ ƚŚĞŝƌƐŚĂƌĞ͘dŚĞĨŽƵƌƚŽƉŝĐƐ͞ƚLJƉŽůŽŐLJĂŶĚ ĐůĂƐƐŝĨŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ͕͟͞ĨŝŐŚƚŝŶŐĂŶĚƐǁŽƌĚƐŵĂŶƐŚŝƉ͕͟͞ŵĞƚĂůůƵƌŐLJ ĂŶĚƉƌŽĚƵĐƚŝŽŶ͟ĂŶĚ͞ƐLJŵďŽůŝƐŵĂŶĚƌĞĐĞƉƚŝŽŶ͟ǁĞƌĞĚŝƐĐƵƐƐĞĚůŝǀĞůLJ͕ĂŶĚƚŚĞŝƌĂŶƐǁĞƌƐĂŶĚŽƉĞŶ questions finally presented to the group.

21 NOV 2015: practical exchange

On Saturday morning, participants with practical experience in swordsmanship had the opportunity to exchange their ideas, knowledge, and interpretations or discuss practical questions in the emptied conference room. Dr. Daniel Jaquet presented an ad-hoc session on the technique of the Flügelhau, while participants without practical experience were invited to watch or had the possibility to enjoy ƚŚĞŵƵƐĞƵŵ͛ƐĞdžŚŝďŝƚŝŽŶ͘

Feedback & outlook

The conference was accompanied by an echo in social and traditional media. Under the hashtag #solingensword non-participants could follow the course of the conference. The local newspaper covered the event as well. The feedback from speakers and audience alike was very positive ʹ for two days, Solingen had once again fulfilled its role as century-old capital of the sword. The directorate of the Klingenmuseum uttered the wish to continue the conference-series at their house, a wish that was also expressed by the attendees repeatedly. A publication of the lectures and results of the conference is in preparation.

Acknowledgement dŚĞŽƌŐĂŶŝnjĂƚŝŽŶƚĞĂŵ͞AG Schwertsymposium͟ǁŽƵůĚůŝŬĞƚŽƚŚĂŶŬƚŚĞŵĂŶLJŚĂŶĚƐĂŶĚŵŝŶĚƐǁŚŽ helped us during the preparation, and who made this outstanding event possible: First of all, the whole team of Deutsches Klingenmuseum, who shouldered a large part of the necessary logistics; the speakers for their talks, and the audience for attending and discussing; Peter Johnsson, who provided the design for our posters and program title; Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg for printing the conference-posters; the Freunde des Deutschen Klingenmuseums and the other donators, who contributed to the forthcoming conference volume; the Verband für moderne Schwertkunst in Bayern e.V., who supported us a second time with their ball-pens; and finally Falko Weiß, Culture Consulting Research, who treated the conference members with notepads.

AG Schwertsymposium Lisa Deutscher (Freiburg, Germany), Mirjam Kaiser (Freiburg, Germany), Sixt Wetzler (Solingen, Germany) [email protected]