![]() Common depictions of long swords being drawn from the back are a modern invention, born from safety and convenience considerations on a film set and typically enabled by creative editing, and have enjoyed such great popularity in fiction and fantasy that they are widely and incorrectly believed to have been common in Medieval times. Sheathing the sword again is even harder since it has to be done effectively blind unless the scabbard is taken off first. This is because drawing a long, sharp blade over one's shoulder and past one's head from a scabbard on the back is relatively awkward, especially in a hurry, and the length of the arm sets a hard upper limit on how long a blade can be drawn at all in this way. Scabbards were historically, albeit rarely, worn across the back, but only by a handful of Celtic tribes, and only with very short lengths of sword. On the other hand, in Japan, except for some cases of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy, water-resistant lacquered wooden scabbards have been used throughout history.Ī Japanese Edo period wood block print of a samurai carrying a nodachi/ ōdachi on his back Mounting for a Japanese short sword ( wakizashi) 18th century. Some military police forces, naval shore patrols, law enforcement and other groups used leather scabbards as a kind of truncheon. Nevertheless, leather scabbards never entirely lost favor among military users and were widely used as late as the American Civil War (1861–1865). In addition, metal offered the ability to present a more military appearance, as well as the opportunity to display increased ornamentation. Metal was more durable than leather and could better withstand the rigors of field use, particularly among troops mounted on horseback. Modern era Princely Mughal sabre with jewelled scabbardĮntirely metal scabbards became popular in Europe early in the 19th century and eventually superseded most other types. ![]() Japanese blades typically have their sharp cutting edge protected by a wooden scabbard called a saya. The Roman army used scabbards to a great extent with short baldrics, carrying their swords quite high up. In classical antiquity, Greek scabbards often had ornamental metal fittings, characteristic of the Iron Age. The fur would also allow a smoother, quicker draw, and protect the blade. The fur was probably kept oily, keeping the blade free from rust. A number of ancient scabbards have been recovered from weapons sacrifices, a few of which had a lining of fur on the inside. After 200 BC fully decorated scabbards became rare, but in their lesser extent existed well into the Medieval period. However, during the Middle and late Iron Ages, the scabbard became important especially as a vehicle for decorative elaboration and social status. Little is known about the scabbards of the early Iron Age, due to their wooden construction. All-metal scabbards were popular items for a display of wealth among elites in the European Iron Age, and often intricately decorated. Wooden scabbards were typically covered in fabric or leather the leather versions also usually bore metal or leather fittings for added protection and carrying ease. Scabbards have at least been around since the Bronze Age, and are thought to have existed as long as the blade has. ( June 2023)īronze scabbard fitting from a Roman gladius.
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