CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

BLADES

RESEARCH ON THE MANUFACTURE OF NINTH- TO MID-SIXTEENTH-CENTURY BLADES
• Methods of researching sword-blade manufacturing techniques and their limits
• Definition of blade smithing types describing construction, resulting redistribution of steel and heat treatment evidenced in sword blades

CHANGES IN SWORD-BLADE MANUFACTURING TRADITIONS
• Sword-blade manufacturing techniques documented for swords found in Czech territory
• Chronological tracking of blade smithing types in medieval and early Renaissance Europe
• Changes in sword-blade constructions
• Changes in the distribution of steel across the blade
• Changes in sword-blade heat treatment

CHANGES IN DIMENSIONS OF BLADES

SHAPE OF EIGHTH- TO TENTH-CENTURY BLADES
• Current typology of early medieval blades and problems in its application to swords from Czech territory
• Relationship between the length and width of blades
• The course of blade tapering
• The shape of a point
• Fullers
• Sword weight and balance
• Summary Of ninth- and tenth-century sword-blade development documented in Czech territory

EVOLUTION OF SWORD-BLADE MANUFACTURING TRADITIONS IN MEDIEVAL AND EARLY RENAISSANCE EUROPE
• Blade manufacture between the late fifth and early eighth centuries
• Blade manufacture between the second half of the eighth and early eleventh centuries
• Blade manufacture between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries
• Blade manufacture between the late thirteenth and mid-sixteenth centuries

PATTERN-WELDING

SIGNS – MARKS AND INSCRIPTIONS ON BLADES
• Significance and general trends of development of mediaeval signs on blades
• Types of signs on early medieval sword blades from Czech territory
• Marks on high medieval to early Renaissance sword blades from Czech territory
• Marks on sword tangs

HILTS

TRENDS IN PREFERRED DIMENSIONS OF HILTS

FUNCTION OF UPPER HILTS AND POMMELS

GRIPS

HILTS OF EARLY MEDIEVAL SWORDS
• Materials used for the manufacture of hilts
• Techniques of decoration applied to hilts
• Construction of upper hilts
• Construction of crossguards
• Typology of hilts of ninth to tenth-century swords from Czech territory

POMMELS OF HIGH MEDIEVAL TO EARLY MODERN SWORDS
• Pommels made of inorganic materials, organic materials and non-ferrous metals
• Construction and the attachment of pommels
• Decorated pommels of eleventh- to mid-sixteenth-century swords
• Typology of high medieval to early modern pommels

CROSSGUARDS AND PROTECTIVE BASKETS OF HIGH MEDIEVAL TO EARLY MODERN SWORDS
• Typology of crossguards and protective baskets

SPECIFIC TYPES OF SWORDS

WOODEN SWORDS

COMBAT, HUNTING AND OTHER SPECIAL SWORDS

MAGISTRATES‘ SWORDS

SYMBOLISM OF THE SWORD

CONCLUSIONS

APPENDIX

REFERENCES

RESUME