I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
Prehistoric Sword Design
Geometry of the Nebra Twin Swords, 1600 BCHello fellow sword and (pre-)history enthusiasts, You may already have read about my recent trip to the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle. Together with Professor Harald Meller, I filmed several segments on historical and prehistoric arms and combat. Harald Meller and I did not part without making plans for further collaborative projects, including the testing of replica weapons and related research. One major focus will be on the earliest swords that appeared north of the Alps around 1600 BC — the very period in which the famous Nebra sky disc was deposited. Alongside the disc, two swords were buried as well. While the sky disc’s design and geometric layout have been extensively discussed in scholarly publications, the swords themselves have, surprisingly, never been subjected to a comparable analysis. I have now carried out such a study. I have constructed a Nebra sword using compass and straightedge. It turns out that the swords are based on a carefully conceived geometric layout. The base unit of my design is derived from the gripping hand. To connect reference points along the blade contour, I used dried willow twigs as a natural equivalent to French curves. Shape and measurements of the original swords match my geometric layout almost perfectly, as demonstrated in this short video:
My full-size drawing is available on my Patreon — thank you for your kind support. Enjoy the festive season🎄— and keep a sword at arm’s length!🗡️ P. S. If you enjoyed this newsletter, please recommend it to your friends. They can sign up here or on my website. Or simply forward them this email. Improve your skills with our sword-and-buckler online courses. If you wish to read more, find hundreds of related posts on my Patreon. Special thanks to all my loyal supporters on Patreon – you keep me going! And if you are not a patron yet, you are most welcome to join. If you feel like dropping a coin into my tip jar, you can do so here. Thank you for your time and your interest. You are receiving this newsletter because you have signed up for it, or because you have previously expressed your interest in my work and events. If you prefer to not receive further emails, you can unsubscribe below. |
Dimicator
I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
A Kingdom for a Horse! It could be worse: it could be raining! Hello history enthusiasts, My fellow illustrator Oliver Wünsch and I are still busy exploring new AI-assisted opportunities for visual storytelling. We feel it is the best way to spend our time now that traditional illustration work has largely vanished, thanks to generative AI. The good news—at least for us—is that our particular application of AI still requires artistic skill as well as archaeological and historical expertise....
Viking Houses Need Maintenance Danes in the house: very hyggelig Hello fellow medieval military enthusiasts and time travellers, I hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits, swinging swords as one ought to. If you are doing so in preparation for the first Dimicator venture of the year in Hedeby on the weekend of 18/19 April, make sure to sign up swiftly. No Danish Viking venture without sufficient sausage supplies The museum has notified me that, due to maintenance and...
A Shield Mystery The remains of the Trelleborg Viking shield on display in Trelleborg Viking Fortress Hello fellow shield enthusiasts and (pre-)history aficionados, First of all, my very best wishes for the New Year. May the edge of your sword never dull, and may your shield protect you as you step into realms unknown in 2026. Iron Age bog finds from Thorsberg and Nydam will be on display in Kalkriese this year Recent discussions with archaeologist Ingo Petri raise intriguing questions about...