Celtic Two-Handers

[paullus]

the basis for the Lugian two-handers was, I believe, a couple of Przeworsk-culture swords of rather impressive size and weight with long tangs.

the first, from Lachmirowice, had a blade that was right at 6 1/4cm wide and just over 87cm long. its tang, which had broken, was 13cm long at the break, but estimated by the archaeologists, based on comparison to other Przeworsk sword tangs, at around 18cm total. i haven't seen a dating for the sword more secure than "Przeworsk culture."

the second is less significant, and from Drbzankowo, a sword in a scabbard. I'm not sure on blade dimensions, but the scabbard is just barely shy of 1m long (98cm). as for width, the sword was excavated withdrawn a little over 1cm from its scabbard, and the blade there, at its base, is nearly 5cm wide. so its still a hefty blade, though I'm not sure what the blade length should be thought to be based on the scabbard. the tang, which is complete, is shorter, only 10cm long.

I hope that helps a bit. I'm not really up on hand-and-a-half and two-handed swords and whatnot, but that first sword particularly seems like it would have been too heavy to use with one hand, and also clearly seems to have had a tang long enough 1) to support such a heavy sword, and 2) to allow at least two hands to grip it (third hand anybody?).

EDIT: if the sword from Lachmirowice is from one of the main concentrations of burials there, its likely from either the 1c bc or the late 1c ad. The site was occupied throughout the Przeworsk period, and I haven't seen anything to indicate that particular sword.