Sword: Did you mean...?

A steel falchion sword, popular across Europe from the 13th century. One side of the guard protected the hand while the other permitted the user to lever the sword of one's opponent out of their hand. Venetian, c. 1490. The light...

A bronze Assyrian sickle sword that is believed to have belonged to the Assyrian king Adad Nirari I (r. 1307-1275 BCE), made in northern Mesopotamia, c. 13th century BCE. The blade bears the cuneiform inscription: "Palace...

A bronze Mycenaean sword with a gold handle inlaid with lapis lazuli, from Mycenae, Grave IV, Grave Circle A, 16th century BCE. National Archaeological Museum, Athens.

A straight bronze sword from the Egyptian New Kingdom. Length: 52 cm (20 1.2 in). Thebes, Egypt. 18th Dynasty, 1550–1458 BCE. (Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art)

A Mycenaean gold sword hilt with bronze blade. From a tomb in Skopelos, 15th century BCE. (National Archaeological Museum, Athens)

A medieval Great Sword, c. 1400 CE. This weapon was the typical weapon of a European knight. L. 40 1/4 in. (102.2 cm); L. of blade 32 in. (81.3 cm); Wt. 3 lb. 11 oz. (1673 g). (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)

A diagram illustrating the various components of a medieval Great Sword and scabbard, the typical weapon of knights.

A bronze, double-edged straight sword from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Decorated with turqoise and gold. Warring States Period, c. early 5th century BCE. China. (Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute)

A Han dynasty iron sword and scabbard with wood and lacquer decoration, China, 2nd century BCE. (British Museum, London)

A 10th Century CE steel sword, likely made in Scandinavia. The high quality of the pattern-welded steel blade, and beautiful decoration on the hilt, indicates that it was owned by a high status warrior. Steel blade, decorated...