Swords

Swords are one of the most ancient weapons in our history. It has been in existence for over thousand years. The skill required to use a sword is an extraordinary technique which was mastered by our ancestors.

A sword is typically a long edged metal which is used in various forms depending on the user. It could be used for cutting, thrusting, slashing and clubbing. Swords are used in many civilizations throughout the world.

The word ‘Sword’ means ‘to wound or to hurt’ according to the Proto-Indo-European root. The sword consists of a blade and a hilt. The length and shape of the blades differ depending on different cultures and craftsmanship.

The hilt is a collective term for the parts of the sword such as the grip, the guard and the pommel. These help in handling and controlling of the blade.

As per the common belief, all swords are built for wars, is incorrect. Though they are designed as weapons, not all swords were used in wars. For instance a Rapier was used in civilian combat. However there are quite a few swords which were specifically designed for wars.

The Chinese weapons such as jian, wodao, zhanmadao and yanmaodao; Japanese weapons such as Katana, nodachi, tachi and other weapons like the Burmese dha and the Filipino kampilan are all war swords.

Nowadays, people no longer see swords only as a weapon of the warriors but they are fabulous work of art and collectibles for the sword enthusiasts. This extraordinary piece of art captures everyone’s attention with its aesthetic beauty.

A sword was considered a prestigious weapon. Not all warriors had the privilege of wielding a sword. Only the most revered and the high commands could possess a sword. The common soldiers and the peasants could not wield it.

Today, there are many creative and capable swordsmiths who have given the ancient swords a new image and have given the sword enthusiasts a wide variety of decorative, functional and practice swords.

The technology of making swords improved over time and the swordsmith or craftsmen used more advanced techniques and better raw materials to create swords. And with time, swords became the weapon of choice amongst warriors.

However, in the dawn of modern civilization, guns replaced swords in wars. But still, these magnificent weapons continue to be our legendary past. They are still proudly displayed by sword enthusiasts all over the world. People still practice different sword arts and master them.