| Swords, the Noblest of Weapons. | | | | protective leather or metal scabbards that are |
| Of all the different weapons that are in use | | | | attached to the waist. Swords that are intended |
| today, and of all the different weapons that have | | | | to be used as weapons are usually quite utilitarian |
| existed throughout history, swords are by far the | | | | and are not elaborately decorated as are many |
| noblest. Yes, swords are brutally effective | | | | ceremonial swords. |
| weapons. But they are far more than that. | | | | Swords in War and in Peace, Past and Present. |
| In the past, reigning monarchs and members of | | | | Swords have been used as weapons since time |
| royal families, members of the nobility and various | | | | immemorial, in hundreds of different cultures and |
| other prestigious men, all carried swords not just | | | | in just about every region of the world. |
| as weapons, but as a traditional, highly visible sign | | | | Throughout the passage of time, weaponry |
| of their status. Even today, swords and their | | | | swords have been made of bronze, iron and steel |
| close relatives - such as scimitars - continue to be | | | | (later, tempered steel) and, as noted above, |
| a cross-cultural signal of high achievement or high | | | | these types of swords were designed for killing |
| social status. | | | | efficiency rather than beauty. |
| In the military, swords were, and still are, | | | | But in addition to being used as coldly efficient |
| traditionally carried only by commisioned officers | | | | weapons of war, swords have also been used for |
| and, in some cases, mounted cavalrymen. Swords | | | | ceremonial purposes for at least one thousand |
| are used to cut, thrust, strike and slash, and they | | | | years. And although they are no longer used as |
| have the longest reach of any edged weapon. | | | | actual weapons, they continue to be used |
| During the Middle Ages, any knight considered his | | | | ceremonially. Swords play an important role in |
| sword to be his most important weapon, and with | | | | some military weddings and in certain military |
| the possible exception of his horse, probably the | | | | rituals, and they still are part of a commissioned |
| most important possession he owned. The edged | | | | officer's dress uniform. The investiture of a knight |
| weapons carried by rank and file foot soldiers, | | | | (being "dubbed" a knight) traditionally was, and still |
| usually knives, dirks or daggers, were much | | | | is, performed by the man being touched on the |
| smaller than swords and much less deadly, with | | | | shoulder with the flat of the sword of his |
| much shorter blades. These smaller bladed | | | | monarch or lord. Swords are even used by |
| weapons were also much less prestigious to carry | | | | Masons during certain Masonic rituals and |
| and conveyed no signal of the bearer's social | | | | ceremonies. |
| status. | | | | Ceremonial swords are most often made of gold |
| Sword Nomenclature. | | | | or sterling silver, and their blades and scabbards |
| A sword consists of a very long single-edged or | | | | are often very elaborately engraved or inscribed. |
| double-edged blade and an attached hilt, which is a | | | | Sometimes the sword guard and/or the scabbard |
| collective term that includes the pommel, the grip | | | | are bejeweled. |
| and a simple or elaborate guard. The swords of | | | | Traditional swords, sabres, rapiers, cutlasses and |
| some cultures use straight blades, while other | | | | scimitars. Swords that were used in mortal |
| cultures designed swords or sword-type weapons | | | | combat, such as Japanese Samurai Katana |
| with slightly curved blades. But the basic underlying | | | | swords, and ceremonial swords such Masonic |
| design of all swords is remarkably uniform. | | | | swords. They all have a noble past, and they all |
| Swords are typically carried while sheathed in | | | | signify tradition and prestige. |