09-30-2012, 09:19 AM
To Jack and Matt,
I'm wrong, then-- unless these Roman pattern-welded swords were made quite late, when the forgemen may have been influenced by "barbarian" blades. I am working on the notion that the original definition of "steel" was "chalybis," in other words "forged by the Chalybes" (a tribe on the south-east Black Sea), and from Pliny who mentions that the best iron came from the east on "camel trains." :unsure:
The Filippovka sword and akinakes I mentioned above, both sophisticated and welded, were made in the 4th-3rd century BC. This was centuries prior to Pliny. Chinese influenced swords arrive in the 1st century BC, also on the steppe where the Aorsi/Alans had control of camel trains that arrived from both China and India. The route went up the back side of the Black Sea, to Olbia, and then down to the Danube.
The Issyk Kul akinakes, same age and workmanship as the Filippovka examples, is again early and from a craftsman in what is now Kyrgyzstan. Pliny also mentioned that "good" iron was produced in Raetia which, I think, would have been Celtic. What we don't know is what Pliny was referring to: raw iron or steel blanks. I would think the latter, especially with his reference to "camel trains." Unfortunately, I'm in the middle of moving and my volumes of Pliny are in self-storage. :dizzy:
I'm wrong, then-- unless these Roman pattern-welded swords were made quite late, when the forgemen may have been influenced by "barbarian" blades. I am working on the notion that the original definition of "steel" was "chalybis," in other words "forged by the Chalybes" (a tribe on the south-east Black Sea), and from Pliny who mentions that the best iron came from the east on "camel trains." :unsure:
The Filippovka sword and akinakes I mentioned above, both sophisticated and welded, were made in the 4th-3rd century BC. This was centuries prior to Pliny. Chinese influenced swords arrive in the 1st century BC, also on the steppe where the Aorsi/Alans had control of camel trains that arrived from both China and India. The route went up the back side of the Black Sea, to Olbia, and then down to the Danube.
The Issyk Kul akinakes, same age and workmanship as the Filippovka examples, is again early and from a craftsman in what is now Kyrgyzstan. Pliny also mentioned that "good" iron was produced in Raetia which, I think, would have been Celtic. What we don't know is what Pliny was referring to: raw iron or steel blanks. I would think the latter, especially with his reference to "camel trains." Unfortunately, I'm in the middle of moving and my volumes of Pliny are in self-storage. :dizzy:
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
