Update on 1st Century Sarmatian Weapons

[Alanus]

All these Han period reproduction swords have lot's of "fancy" rope-work around the scabbard and handles.
Where does this idea come from? I can imagine some one figured out the that the scabbard-slide would have been tied somehow. But about the handle, one thinks it would function without the rope also...

The wooden scabbard was shallow notched, the slide placed over it, then wrapped securely with twine. I imagine materials varied: cotton, hemp, silk, and braided horsehair. Sutoris is using rawhide; good idea. Horsehair would be strongest, but difficult to make nowadays.

The reason the grip was also covered-- a more secure grasp, less easy to slip from the hand. ;-)