Gallic Longsword Design

[Antonivs Silvicola]

This has been bugging me for awhile now so I thought I'd ask some of my erudite EB friends. Why did the Gauls not add a sharp tip on their long swords? I realize that they basically only used them as slashing weapons but it would seem to me that having the option to stab your enemy in the heat of battle would would only be beneficial. Was it just a cultural thing or was there some reason I am overlooking? It is well documented they were brave and intimidating warriors and it just seems strange to me that a people so familiar with warfare would not adapt their weapons to excel more at their art. Perhaps someone can enlighten me or point me toward some reading that deals with this subject?

[Macilrille]

?? lots of Gallic swords were pointy. At least lots of those found in Denmark.

[Antonivs Silvicola]

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.

[Power2the1]

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.

[bobbin]

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).


Edit: never mind P2T1 answered you question

[Macilrille]

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.

[Power2the1]

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.

[Macilrille]

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 ;-)

[mcantu]

ask over at www.myarmoury.com

[Antonivs Silvicola]

Thank you for all the replys. Glad I learned something today!

[Power2the1]

Anytime. That what the forum is for. Great things to be learned here.

[Macilrille]

Glad to be of help, even when as in this case, little.