Sword with disc pommel

Details of work

Denomination: Sword with disc pommel Milieu Western European production Object date: Second half of 14th century Material: Iron Technique: Forging Dimensions: width 4 cm; thickness 4 cm

Typology: Weapons Acquisition: June 30, 1959 Place: Palazzo Venezia Main inventory number: 11846 Other numbers: Odescalchi n. 556

Catalog entry

Triangular-bladed sword with hexagonal cross-section; hilt has straight quillons with quadrangular cross-section; long tang; disc-shaped, slightly oval, flat-sided pommel. The thin blade was rendered sturdy by virtue of the fulling of the hexagonal section, which made the sword remarkably efficient in combat against advanced types of armor (Scalini 2018). The weapon has been traced by Nolfo di Carpegna (1969) to a type that was quite widespread in Europe between 1370 and 1425 (Oakeshott 1960, 311, table 16d). It is part of a type that was very common in the European area, particularly in France and England, and routinely used in the Hundred Years’ War. Mario Scalini likens it to a fourteenth-century sword from the Armeria Reale in Turin (G12; Scalini 2018), which has the same shape except for the small bow-shaped guard attached to the crossguard. The scholar also refers to a sword that is even more similar to ours at the Royal Armouries in Leeds (Norman, Wilson 1982, 44, no. 13).

Chiara Paniccia

State of conservation

Mediocre. The iron is heavily oxidized and the blade’s cutting edges are worn.

Provenance

Collezione Odescalchi, 1959.

Exhibition history

Rome, Palazzo Venezia, Antiche armi dal sec. IX al XVIII già Collezione Odescalchi, May–July 1969;
Narni, former church of San Domenico, Le compagnie di ventura, May 31–September 30, 1970;
Rome, Castel Sant’Angelo; Palazzo Venezia, Antiche armi dal sec. IX al XVIII già Collezione Odescalchi, July 26–November 11, 2018.

Sources and documents

Tomei Alessandro, Scheda OA n. 34013 della Soprintendenza per i beni artistici e storici di Roma, October 1977.

References

Oakeshott Ewart, The Archaeology of Weapons: Arms and Armour from Prehistory to the Age of Chivalry, Dover 1960, p. 311, tav. 16d;
di Carpegna Nolfo (a cura di), Antiche armi dal sec. IX al XVIII già Collezione Odescalchi, catalogo della mostra (Roma, Palazzo Venezia, maggio-luglio 1969), Roma 1969, p. 35;
Pace Valentino (a cura di), Le compagnie di ventura, catalogo della mostra (Narni, ex chiesa di San Domenico, 31 maggio-30 settembre 1970), Narni 1970, p. 34, n. 70;
di Carpegna Nolfo, Le armi Odescalchi, Roma 1976, p. 35;
Boccia Lionello, Rossi Giorgio, Morin Francesco, Armi e armature lombarde, Milano 1980, p. 189, fig. 219;
Norman Andrew, Wilson GM. (a cura di), Treasures from the Tower of London, catalogo della mostra (Norwich, Cincinnati, Toronto, 8 giugno-29 agosto 1982), Norwich 1982, p. 44, n. 13;
Scalini, I.9 Spada con pomo a disco, in Scalini Mario (a cura di), Armi e potere nell'Europa del Rinascimento, catalogo della mostra (Roma, Castel Sant'Angelo; Palazzo Venezia, 26 luglio-11 novembre 2018), Cinisello Balsamo 2018, p. 55.