Pommel of a Sword
Culture
Southern German
Dateabout 1520–1560
Mediumiron
Dimensions4.4 × 5.4 cm (1 3/4 × 2 1/8 in.), 10 oz (weight)
ClassificationsArms and Armor
Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Object number2014.420
DescriptionIron. Large writhen form, deeply cut with cabled body expanding to tang end where it is finished as 7 cabled terminals and low-domed recessed center. Ends of cabling accented by fine incised line. Axially pierced for oblong tang.Label TextThe pommel is a characteristic feature of European swords. It serves to balance the weight of the blade, making the weapon easier to control. Almost every sword blade has a long, narrow projection called the tang, to which the grip is secured. Once the grip was in place, the pommel was slipped over the projecting end of the tang, and the stub of the tang was hammered down to secure the assembled weapon. Early pommels tended to have simple geometrical shapes, but by the end of the Middle Ages they were being carved into elaborate forms. The style of pommel is often crucial to dating a sword, but many surviving examples have had their pommels replaced at some point, making the task a considerable challenge.ProvenancePurchased by John W. Higgins on September 28, 1929 from estate of Dr. Bashford Dean (Riverdale, New York), his # 68. Given to the Museum July 1, 1954. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.
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