Blades, Belief, and Hidden Design

Hello fellow history enthusiasts and blade aficionados,

two weeks ago, I returned from a research trip to Jena and Halle. During this excursion, I had the opportunity to examine and document a range of remarkable Bronze and Iron Age artefacts.

I also met with Professor Harald Meller and Dr Jan-Heinrich Bunnefeld to discuss future research ventures — more on that in due course.

For now, I invite you to explore my dedicated post, where you will find images of outstanding blades, as well as a reconstructed ritual landscape from the Stone Age that I visited.

Special thanks go to my patrons: it is your support that makes excursions like this possible.

The Mystery of Pattern-Welded Blades

Last week, a new article of mine was published in an academic journal.

It examines early medieval pattern-welded swords as objects in which material technology, visual design, and belief systems are closely intertwined. Pattern-welding does not measurably improve a blade’s mechanical performance. Considering the considerable skill, time, and resources required, its persistence calls for explanation.

The article explores how these blades may have functioned not only as weapons, but also as carriers of meaning — shaped as much by belief as by utility.

A 10th-Century Sword of Divine Proportions

During the so-called Carolingian Renaissance, sword design within the Frankish cultural sphere increasingly followed geometrically conceived layouts. The proportions of Carolingian and subsequent swords often reflect strict and deliberate relationships.

A while ago, researcher Béla Balogh approached me for my assessment of the geometric layout of a 10th-century sword from Solomonovo. This was the first time I examined a sword of Petersen type Y / Geibig combination type 13, variant I.

The analysis suggests a carefully structured design process, in which simple geometric forms define the proportions of hilt, pommel, and blade.

You can explore a step-by-step breakdown of this layout in my dedicated post.

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

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Yours,

Roland

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