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.
Exploring Prehistoric Fighting Arts Bronze Age weapons from the inventory of the Museum of Prehistory in Halle Hello fellow fighters and (pre-)history aficionados, This newsletter is all about Bronze Age weaponry — their design, handling, and function. As this email goes out, I am on my journey home from two days of filming at the Museum of Prehistory in Halle, home to the world-famous Nebra sky disc. Professor Harald Meller in front of the Museum in Halle At the invitation of Professor...
Mark Your Calendar Contents of my sword case Hello fellow fighters, sword enthusiasts and living history experts, I’ve just returned from a wonderful sword-and-shield weekend in Berlin, training at the 24th Berlin Buckler Bouts with around forty dedicated practitioners from all over the world. As one of the organisers, I’d like to express my gratitude for a cheerful and safe training environment. It was a physically demanding two days — yet I enjoyed each of my 500+ passes. Thank you all! The...
Final Event Info Dear fellow buckler fighters, This weekend, we will gather for the 24th Berlin Buckler Bouts — hurrah! We anticipate 35 dedicated fencers from the Czech Republic, the US, Poland, Denmark, and Germany. If you’d like, you can watch my video of the BBB XI, which nicely captures the atmosphere. The event logo is available for download. Additionally, you’ll find links to a great article on slow fencing and another video on the BBB here. These two texts are also highly recommended:...