Started another Xiphos

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

I suppose it could. Often they had metal designs on the top of the pommel. So for instance one of Philip's sword had a small gold helmet with a sphynx on the top, which covered the nut that secured the pommel. A newlly found hellenistic sword again from macedonia had a stunning gold female head. Another one yet had a gold cross of palmettes, which were attached on one of the rings that encercled the pommel... The pommels themselves however were usually organic and thus their decoration has not survived. As far as i remember, there are more instances where the grip scales were carved rather than the pommel. The carvings are some times very elaborate and very thinly carved, and these would be the swords of kings and generals, especially since some of them come from statues.