The metallurgy, development, and purpose of pattern welding
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Published
Sep 15, 2021
Abstract
Surface patterns resulting from welding together iron and/or steel pieces were probably recognised soon after bloomery smelting began, long before the technique was exploited for its decorative potential in the mid to late Iron Age. People have speculated on when, why and how the technique was developed, long before the term was formally adopted in 1948 to differentiate weld patterns from those that originate from the casting of steel. Before much metallographic research was done on relevant material, pattern-welding was generally assumed to have been an ancient technique that was used to improve the physical properties of the objects – only swords before about the 7th century AD – for which it was used. However research, particularly over the past 40 years, has increasingly shown that pattern-welding was primarily a decorative technique designed to demonstrate excellence in the exploitation and welding together of different iron alloys this being judged by their appearance.
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References
Allan J and Gilmour B 2000, Persian Steel: The Tanavoli Collection (Oxford).
Allason-Jones L and Miket R 1984, The catalogue of small finds from South Shields Roman Fort (Newcastle-upon-Tyne).
Anstee J W and Biek L 1961, ‘A study in pattern-welding’, Medieval Archaeology 5, 71-93.
Biborski M and Ilkaer J 2007, Illerup Adal, die Schwerter und die Schwertscheiden (Aarhus).
Clay C 2007, ‘Before there were Angles, Saxons and Jutes: An epigraphic study of the Germanic social, religious and linguistic relations on Hadrians Wall’, in L Gilmour (ed), Pagans and Christians – from antiquity to the middle ages. (Oxford: BAR IS 1610).
Croom A 1995, ‘A hoard of Roman military equipment from South Shields’, Arbeia Journal 4, 45-53.
Engelhardt C 1866, Denmark in the Early Iron Age (London).
Fox C 1946, A find of the Early Iron Age from Llyn Cerrig Bach, Anglesey (Cardiff).
Gilmour B J J 1990, Developments in iron smithing and decorative welding techniques found in Anglo-Saxon swords and related edged weapons. Unpublished PhD thesis, University College London. Available from https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.299762
Gilmour B 1996, ‘Note on the technology of the swords based on a radiographic study’, in R B Burns, B Cunliffe and H Sebire (eds), Guernsey: An island community of the Atlantic Iron Age (Oxford), 112-3.
Gilmour B 1999, ‘A Sword from Grave G74’, in C Haughton and D Powlesland, West Heslerton: The Anglian Cemetery. Vol 1, The excavation and discussion of the evidence (Yeddingham), 120-3.
Gilmour B 2003, ‘Metallurgical analysis of the swords’, in J McKinley, ‘The early Saxon cemetery at Park Lane, Croydon’, Surrey Archaeological Collections 90, 1-116; 97-100.
Gilmour B 2009, ‘Victims of crime? Ferrous technology and origins of two pattern-welded long swords from Durovernum Cantiacorum (Canterbury, Kent)’, in Archaeometallurgy in Europe 2007: selected papers (Milan), 250-61.
Gilmour B 2010, ‘Ethnic identity and the origins, purpose and occurrence of pattern-welded swords in sixth-century Kent: the case of Saltwood cemetery’, in M Henig and N Ramsey (eds),
Intersections: The archaeology and history of Christianity in England, 400-1200. Papers in honour of Martin Biddle and Birthe Kjølbye-Biddle (Oxford: BAR BS 505), 59-70.
Gilmour B 2014, ‘Snake swords and barbed spearheads: the visibility of pattern-welding’, Historical Metallurgy 48, 34-40.
Hoyland R and Gilmour B 2006, Medieval Islamic swords and swordmaking: Kindī’s treatise ‘On swords and their kinds’ (Oxford).
Lang J 1991, ‘A Dirk from Cyprus’, Materiały Archaeologiczne 26, 93-96.
Lang J and Ager B 1989, ‘Swords of the Anglo-Saxon and Viking periods in the British Museum: A radiographic study’, in S C Hawkes 1989, Weapons and warfare in Anglo-Saxon England (Oxford), 85-122.
Maryon H 1948, ‘A sword of the Nydam type from Ely Fields Farm, near Ely’, Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society 4, 73-6.
Maryon H 1960, ‘Pattern-welding and damascening’, Studies in Conservation 5, 25-36.
Maxwell-Hyslop K and Hodges H 1966, ‘Three iron swords from Luristan’, Iraq 28, 164-76.
McGrath J 1968, ‘A preliminary report on the metallographic examination of four fragmentary early Iron Age swords from Llyn Cerrig Bach, Anglesey’, Bulletin of the Historical Metallurgy Group 2(2), 78-80.
Pleiner R 1993, The Celtic Sword (Oxford).
Rosenquist A1971, ‘Sverd med klinger ornert met figurer i kopperlegeringer fra elder jernalder i Universitetets Oldsaksamling’, Universitetets Oldsaksamling Årbok 1967-1968, 143-200.
Savory H 1976, Guide catalogue of the Early Iron Age collections (Cardiff).
Stead I 2006, British Iron Age swords and scabbards (London).
Todd M 1975, The northern barbarians (London).
Tylecote R 1986, The prehistory of metallurgy in the British Isles (London).
Tylecote R and Gilmour B 1986, The ferrous metallography of early tools and weapons (Oxford: BAR BS 155).
Watson J, Anstee J and Biek L 1982, ‘The swords and pieces of equipment from the grave: Description’, in P Bennett, S Stowe and S Frere (eds), Excavations at Canterbury Castle (Maidstone: The Archaeology of Canterbury 1), 188-190.
Webster G 1982, ‘The swords and pieces of equipment from the grave’, in P Bennett, S Stowe and S Frere (eds), Excavations at Canterbury Castle (Maidstone: The Archaeology of Canterbury 1), 185-190.
Ypey J 1982, ‘Europaische Waffen mit Damaszierung’, Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 12, 381-388.
Allason-Jones L and Miket R 1984, The catalogue of small finds from South Shields Roman Fort (Newcastle-upon-Tyne).
Anstee J W and Biek L 1961, ‘A study in pattern-welding’, Medieval Archaeology 5, 71-93.
Biborski M and Ilkaer J 2007, Illerup Adal, die Schwerter und die Schwertscheiden (Aarhus).
Clay C 2007, ‘Before there were Angles, Saxons and Jutes: An epigraphic study of the Germanic social, religious and linguistic relations on Hadrians Wall’, in L Gilmour (ed), Pagans and Christians – from antiquity to the middle ages. (Oxford: BAR IS 1610).
Croom A 1995, ‘A hoard of Roman military equipment from South Shields’, Arbeia Journal 4, 45-53.
Engelhardt C 1866, Denmark in the Early Iron Age (London).
Fox C 1946, A find of the Early Iron Age from Llyn Cerrig Bach, Anglesey (Cardiff).
Gilmour B J J 1990, Developments in iron smithing and decorative welding techniques found in Anglo-Saxon swords and related edged weapons. Unpublished PhD thesis, University College London. Available from https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.299762
Gilmour B 1996, ‘Note on the technology of the swords based on a radiographic study’, in R B Burns, B Cunliffe and H Sebire (eds), Guernsey: An island community of the Atlantic Iron Age (Oxford), 112-3.
Gilmour B 1999, ‘A Sword from Grave G74’, in C Haughton and D Powlesland, West Heslerton: The Anglian Cemetery. Vol 1, The excavation and discussion of the evidence (Yeddingham), 120-3.
Gilmour B 2003, ‘Metallurgical analysis of the swords’, in J McKinley, ‘The early Saxon cemetery at Park Lane, Croydon’, Surrey Archaeological Collections 90, 1-116; 97-100.
Gilmour B 2009, ‘Victims of crime? Ferrous technology and origins of two pattern-welded long swords from Durovernum Cantiacorum (Canterbury, Kent)’, in Archaeometallurgy in Europe 2007: selected papers (Milan), 250-61.
Gilmour B 2010, ‘Ethnic identity and the origins, purpose and occurrence of pattern-welded swords in sixth-century Kent: the case of Saltwood cemetery’, in M Henig and N Ramsey (eds),
Intersections: The archaeology and history of Christianity in England, 400-1200. Papers in honour of Martin Biddle and Birthe Kjølbye-Biddle (Oxford: BAR BS 505), 59-70.
Gilmour B 2014, ‘Snake swords and barbed spearheads: the visibility of pattern-welding’, Historical Metallurgy 48, 34-40.
Hoyland R and Gilmour B 2006, Medieval Islamic swords and swordmaking: Kindī’s treatise ‘On swords and their kinds’ (Oxford).
Lang J 1991, ‘A Dirk from Cyprus’, Materiały Archaeologiczne 26, 93-96.
Lang J and Ager B 1989, ‘Swords of the Anglo-Saxon and Viking periods in the British Museum: A radiographic study’, in S C Hawkes 1989, Weapons and warfare in Anglo-Saxon England (Oxford), 85-122.
Maryon H 1948, ‘A sword of the Nydam type from Ely Fields Farm, near Ely’, Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society 4, 73-6.
Maryon H 1960, ‘Pattern-welding and damascening’, Studies in Conservation 5, 25-36.
Maxwell-Hyslop K and Hodges H 1966, ‘Three iron swords from Luristan’, Iraq 28, 164-76.
McGrath J 1968, ‘A preliminary report on the metallographic examination of four fragmentary early Iron Age swords from Llyn Cerrig Bach, Anglesey’, Bulletin of the Historical Metallurgy Group 2(2), 78-80.
Pleiner R 1993, The Celtic Sword (Oxford).
Rosenquist A1971, ‘Sverd med klinger ornert met figurer i kopperlegeringer fra elder jernalder i Universitetets Oldsaksamling’, Universitetets Oldsaksamling Årbok 1967-1968, 143-200.
Savory H 1976, Guide catalogue of the Early Iron Age collections (Cardiff).
Stead I 2006, British Iron Age swords and scabbards (London).
Todd M 1975, The northern barbarians (London).
Tylecote R 1986, The prehistory of metallurgy in the British Isles (London).
Tylecote R and Gilmour B 1986, The ferrous metallography of early tools and weapons (Oxford: BAR BS 155).
Watson J, Anstee J and Biek L 1982, ‘The swords and pieces of equipment from the grave: Description’, in P Bennett, S Stowe and S Frere (eds), Excavations at Canterbury Castle (Maidstone: The Archaeology of Canterbury 1), 188-190.
Webster G 1982, ‘The swords and pieces of equipment from the grave’, in P Bennett, S Stowe and S Frere (eds), Excavations at Canterbury Castle (Maidstone: The Archaeology of Canterbury 1), 185-190.
Ypey J 1982, ‘Europaische Waffen mit Damaszierung’, Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 12, 381-388.
How to Cite
The metallurgy, development, and purpose of pattern welding. (2021). Historical Metallurgy, 51(2), 57-70. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/36
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How to Cite
The metallurgy, development, and purpose of pattern welding. (2021). Historical Metallurgy, 51(2), 57-70. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/36