Re: Gallic Longsword Design
?? lots of Gallic swords were pointy. At least lots of those found in Denmark.
Re: Gallic Longsword Design
I was just under the impression that most had rounded tips. Perhaps not. Please excuse my ignorance. I was going off of historical accounts and not archealogical evidence.
Re: Gallic Longsword Design
Its cool, lots of folks think they were all rounded, and some are. However, the pointed tips are in the majority overall. Most of the rounded tipped swords were used from horseback to slash down from above. This doesn't really require a tip as the blade will be doing all the damage even if it had a pointed tip. The length of these swords could have been used by infantry for long slashing blow of tremendous force, but cavalry is the main users of these long rounded tipped swords, especially ones with the very long tangs/pommels which has room for two hands but, as you may know, give rise to the thought they they were wielded like a two-handed sword. These rounded tipped swords came into their own during the La Tene phase 'D'. I can imagine an axe getting you messed up, but these swords and the momentum behind them could cut an unarmored man in half easily and keep on going. Nasty swords they are.
These long slashing swords, tips or rounded, denote the rise of the Celtic professional cavalry and the decline of the professional infantry warrior, although professional infantry did not disappear, its evident they did not play the role that they once did when it came to professional or elite status. In the later periods that went mainly to the cavalry.
Re: Gallic Longsword Design
No only some did, i don't know why some had rounded tips, it could have been to provide extra weight to deliver more poweful blows or it could have just been a fashion thing.
A selection of celtic swords, note only some are rounded (one is even square ended).
https://i36.tinypic.com/2rha0w3.jpg
Edit: never mind P2T1 answered you question
Re: Gallic Longsword Design
Many viking swords had rounded or less pointy points, but I can attest to their penetrating power both slashing and stabbing on foot as we have done a few cut-tests with them. They work best for slashes, but you can stab.
Re: Gallic Longsword Design
Interesting. All the Gallic groups I have seen, online that is, seem to stick only with the pointed tip swords. Never have I seen someone stab with, or use, the non pointed swords.
Re: Gallic Longsword Design
Depends how you define point, but I seem to recall that some Gallic long/broadswords were distinctively more pointy than the generic Viking ones, while others were much less so.
It is hard to actually track down pics online with all the drivel people put on regarding Vikings, but I found a couple.
http://images.coldsteel-knives.com/L...king_Sword.jpg
http://www.boldblades.com/Viking%20Sword%20II.JPG
http://www.swordsswords.com/ProductImages/s_s/CLASSIC_VIKING_SWORD_SS133.jpg
http://www.milhist.dk/andre/vikinger...ing_svaerd.jpg
These will definately all do a lot of damage to a human body if used for stabbing. Vikings probably did not wear much armour though, or we have not found it. Consider that the chisel point of a Katana is also quite adequate for stabbing and contrary to myth, katanas were no better than European contemporary blades. Before becoming a historian I was in fact a carpenter for ten years, and I kept my chisels razorsharp all the time, if I could not shave with them, I got out the whetstones. They too could benetrate quite a lot I suppose...
Oh well, I am musing and ranting when I should properly be a sleep ;-)
Re: Gallic Longsword Design
Re: Gallic Longsword Design
Thank you for all the replys. Glad I learned something today!
Re: Gallic Longsword Design
Anytime. That what the forum is for. Great things to be learned here.:book:
Re: Gallic Longsword Design
Glad to be of help, even when as in this case, little.