06-21-2008, 05:18 AM
Tony,
I am making a fourth century Alanic sword from a 37" damascus blank, but having trouble finding a round stone for the pommel. Most jewler suppiers list tourquise up to 30mm. It's not Bactrian, but at least it's Asiatic stone. I wonder if it's big enough.
I'm not a great fan of using the term "Sarmatian," simply because it's too confusing. Littleton and Malcor called the Iazyges "Sarmatian," but they were actually Sauromatae related to the northwestern Scythians and used short swords. I suppose these would have been more or less like an akinakes. After they were joined by the Roxolani (true Alans), both the Roxolani and Iazyges disappeared from the history books, then recorded as the "Sarmatians," circa AD 180 and beyond. Therefore, the Iazyges stationed in Britain by Marcus Aurelius were not using Alanic long swords.
The Russians have more or less followed the Alans back to the Ural Basin (especially Fillipovka), then to the Lake Issyk/Tien Shan, then to the Altai. The Alans were northeastern Iranian with an admixture of Asiatic features in the nasal and facial structure, yet mostly blonde-- enough to be "rokhs."
They were relanted to the Saka/Sacae and were also known as the Massagetae, and not closely related to the Sauromatiae/Scythians. This Alanic culture interests me as a Roman reenactor in the Cohorts I Pannonarium. Most of their swords, even older ones, seem to be at least 85cm long. I laud anyone trying to wield a 100cm sword. Forty inches is brute.
If anyone knows of a good source to authentic stone-- Bactrian tourquoise, Uralic or Indic garnets-- such items would be helpfut not only for late period Alanic swords, but for "Black Sea style" jewelry such as the round Gothic fibulas used on late military cloaks.
Buenos Nachos,
Alanus
Alan J. Campbell
Legio III Cyenaica
I am making a fourth century Alanic sword from a 37" damascus blank, but having trouble finding a round stone for the pommel. Most jewler suppiers list tourquise up to 30mm. It's not Bactrian, but at least it's Asiatic stone. I wonder if it's big enough.
I'm not a great fan of using the term "Sarmatian," simply because it's too confusing. Littleton and Malcor called the Iazyges "Sarmatian," but they were actually Sauromatae related to the northwestern Scythians and used short swords. I suppose these would have been more or less like an akinakes. After they were joined by the Roxolani (true Alans), both the Roxolani and Iazyges disappeared from the history books, then recorded as the "Sarmatians," circa AD 180 and beyond. Therefore, the Iazyges stationed in Britain by Marcus Aurelius were not using Alanic long swords.
The Russians have more or less followed the Alans back to the Ural Basin (especially Fillipovka), then to the Lake Issyk/Tien Shan, then to the Altai. The Alans were northeastern Iranian with an admixture of Asiatic features in the nasal and facial structure, yet mostly blonde-- enough to be "rokhs."
They were relanted to the Saka/Sacae and were also known as the Massagetae, and not closely related to the Sauromatiae/Scythians. This Alanic culture interests me as a Roman reenactor in the Cohorts I Pannonarium. Most of their swords, even older ones, seem to be at least 85cm long. I laud anyone trying to wield a 100cm sword. Forty inches is brute.
If anyone knows of a good source to authentic stone-- Bactrian tourquoise, Uralic or Indic garnets-- such items would be helpfut not only for late period Alanic swords, but for "Black Sea style" jewelry such as the round Gothic fibulas used on late military cloaks.
Buenos Nachos,
Alanus
Alan J. Campbell
Legio III Cyenaica
Alan J. Campbell
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
