Sword
Unknown Artist
c. 1400
Medium
steel, leather, wire
Dimensions
l. 85.3 cm · blade: l. 71.7 cm
Classification
Arms and Armor
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
Accession Number
1921.1252
About this artwork
The principal weapon of the European knight was his sword, a simple weapon with a broad, two-edged blade, a straight crossguard, and a round pommel or counterweight. The pommel gave the knight full mastery of a perfectly balanced weapon. The basic shape of the sword did not change significantly between 1200 and 1500.