Bronze Swords Galore

Hello, fellow sword-and-shield aficionados,

I’m sure you’ve heard of the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle—the one that houses the famous Nebra Sky Disc. But that’s just one highlight of its immense collection, and the museum is well worth a visit for many other reasons. They have plenty of swords too, you know!

Thanks to the generosity and support of the museum’s direction, I recently had the opportunity to examine the ergonomic features of several remarkably well-preserved Late Bronze Age swords. I was warmly welcomed and assisted by bronze sword expert Jan-Heinrich Bunnefeld, author of the most comprehensive catalogue of Nordic Bronze Age swords.

Adding to the excitement, Bronze Age combat researcher Valerio Gentile from Göttingen University was also present, conducting a preliminary wear analysis of these swords.

It was a particular pleasure and privilege to meet the museum’s director, best-selling author Harald Meller. He received my ideas and observations with great interest, and we discussed possible avenues for future collaboration. I am very much looking forward to returning to Halle.

I have shared some preliminary insights and first photos with my supporters on Patreon—click below to see them.

Prehistoric Shields

The study of the sword is incomplete without a meticulous examination of the shields that accompanied it. The oldest surviving shields date from the Bronze Age, and they also appear in Bronze Age rock art. When exactly shields were invented remains a matter of debate, but it is likely that their origins predate even the advent of the sword. Read more in this blog post on my Patreon:

Berlin Buckler Bouts

If now you feel an itch to wield a shield yourself, mark your calendars:

The BBB 23 are scheduled for 24th–25th May 2025. As usual, I will set up a dedicated page on my Patreon, but if you don’t want to wait until the next newsletter in a fortnight, you can sign up straight away by replying to this email. You are also welcome to use the liability waivers from the previous event post to register.

Ralf, the Twerchhau team, and I are looking forward to fencing and celebrating international friendship with you at the Berlin Buckler Bouts in May!

So, that's it for today. Take care, and keep your blade well-honed.

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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.

Yours,

Roland

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