Video: Damask swords: the most valuable weapon of knights in ancient Russia
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
When the conversation turns to warriors in Russia, the imagination immediately draws powerful epic heroes in chain mail and with swords in their hands. Damask swords were valued not only by Slavic knights, but also far beyond the borders of Russia. They were highly durable, could cut through silk scarves on the fly, and almost doubled without breaking.
Modern scholars divide Slavic swords of the 9th-11th centuries into several types, but basically the weapon differed in the shape of the handle and crosspiece. The blades were made almost the same: 90-100 cm long, 5-4 cm wide and the handle, and about 4 mm thick. Towards the end, the blades narrowed. Along the canvas on both sides there were valleys, which are mistakenly called "bloodletting". The dales served to lighten the weight of the sword, but over time they disappeared.
Swords were not given to all warriors. Not everyone could afford this type of weapon because of its high cost. In addition, the possession of a sword required certain professional skills. In Russia, blades of the 10th century weighed up to 1.5 kg.
Damask swords, which were mentioned by epic storytellers, came to Russia from Damascus. Bulat is a special type of steel with a carbon content of more than 1% and its uneven distribution in the metal. The high strength of damask steel was truly amazing. Its blades could cut through iron and steel. And if you bend a product made of damask steel, then it did not even think to break. Everything would be fine, only the peculiarities of the Russian climate did not fit. During severe frosts, it was unusable.
Slavic masters found a way out. They took rods of iron and damask steel, twisted them together and forged, then folded, cut lengthwise and forged again. And so many times. The resulting steel made it possible to make swords thin, while maintaining strength. Such blades easily cut through mail and armor, usually made of lower grade metal.
Modern experts note that such technologies for making blades testify to the extraordinary skill of blacksmiths of the 9th-11th centuries. Therefore, one should not think that our ancestors could only make “simple iron objects”.
To determine how good a sword is, the customer first listened to the ringing that emanated from the blade after clicking fingers on it. The higher the sound, the better the damask was considered. Then you had to put the sword on your head and pull it to your ears by the ends. Good blades did not bend or break. In the end, whoever wants to acquire a blade, tried it for its sharpness. Usually, a thick nail was cut with a sword or a strip of cloth was thrown onto the blade, while it was cut. In subsequent centuries, the length and weight of the sword changed depending on the change in the weight of the armor. Then the sword was replaced by other types of weapons. Well, damask swords are inextricably associated with with the most famous epic heroes.
Recommended:
Why the Knights Templar are considered the most cruel in history and other facts about the holy warriors of Christianity
Very little is actually known about the founding of the mysterious Order of the Knights Templar. After the capture of Jerusalem in 1099, Europeans began to make massive pilgrimages to the Holy Land. On the way, they were often attacked by bandits and even crusader knights. A small group of fighters, in order to protect the travelers, formed the Order of the Poor Knights of the Temple of King Solomon, also known as the Knights Templar. Over the next two centuries, the Order developed into a powerful political and economic
Universal antidote, damask steel and other valuable things that humanity has lost forever
It is generally accepted that the present is far more "advanced" than the past in every respect. However, everyone forgets that in the past many very amazing things were discovered or invented, which for one reason or another were lost forever. Some of them just appeared "at the wrong time", others were not appreciated. In any case, the past also has something to brag about
The most famous swords that have become real artifacts
In the past, knights' swords were considered not just weapons, but real comrades in arms. The most famous blades were given names. The warriors believed that their swords had magical protective properties, and losing a blade in battle meant being dishonored. This review presents the most famous swords that have become real artifacts
10 most valuable autographs in the world: celebrity murals that are worth a fortune today
Autographs, especially of those who are historical or world famous figures, can be really valuable. Fans from all over the world flock to their idols, fascinatedly holding out markers with scraps of paper in order to get the cherished flourish. But as it turned out, the signatures of sports icons, politicians, famous scientists and even criminals can be much more valuable than the autographs of singers or movie stars, especially if they are written on something that is typical for and
What the most bizarre and fashionable helmets of medieval knights looked like
Since ancient times, a knight's helmet has been one of the most important attributes of a warrior. In addition to its main protective function, it also served as a deterrent to enemies. The Middle Ages were especially famous for the art of making and the variety of helmets. In this review, the most fashionable helmets of the time