The Sword and the Crucible
A History of the Metallurgy of European Swords up to the 16th Century
Biographical note
Alan R.Williams, PhD (1974) in History of Science, University of Manchester, now works as an Archaeometallurgist in the Wallace Collection, London. He has published extensively on the metallurgy of swords and armour and is the author of The Knight and the Blast Furnace (2003)
Readership
All those interested in medieval warfare, and the technology of the weapons used therein, as well as archaeologists, metallurgists and re-enactors.
Table of contents
Preface . . . vii
PART ONE: THE FIRST METALS
1. The Extraction of the First Metals. . . 3
2. The Smelting of Iron and the Production of Steel . . . 12
3. Different Ways of Making Steel—Eastern and Western Steelmaking. . . 24
PART TWO: THE FIRST EUROPEAN SWORDS
4. Celtic and Roman Swords . . . 49
5. Pattern-Welding . . . 62
PART THREE: THE “DARK” AGES IN EUROPE
6. The Revival of Science in Europe . . . 85
7. The Survival of Technology From the Ancient World . . . 96
8. Viking-Age Swords and Their Inscriptions . . . 116
PART FOUR: STEEL ARMOUR AND SWORDS
9. The Invention of the Blast Furnace and Finery . . . 187
10. Bloomery Steel and the Development of All-Steel Swords after 1400 . . . 202
11. The Mass-Production of Steel for Swords and Armour . . . 210
12. The Decoration of Swords by Etching and Gilding . . . 223
13. Medieval European swords after 1000 . . . 230
Further reading . . . 287
Index . . . 291
PART ONE: THE FIRST METALS
1. The Extraction of the First Metals. . . 3
2. The Smelting of Iron and the Production of Steel . . . 12
3. Different Ways of Making Steel—Eastern and Western Steelmaking. . . 24
PART TWO: THE FIRST EUROPEAN SWORDS
4. Celtic and Roman Swords . . . 49
5. Pattern-Welding . . . 62
PART THREE: THE “DARK” AGES IN EUROPE
6. The Revival of Science in Europe . . . 85
7. The Survival of Technology From the Ancient World . . . 96
8. Viking-Age Swords and Their Inscriptions . . . 116
PART FOUR: STEEL ARMOUR AND SWORDS
9. The Invention of the Blast Furnace and Finery . . . 187
10. Bloomery Steel and the Development of All-Steel Swords after 1400 . . . 202
11. The Mass-Production of Steel for Swords and Armour . . . 210
12. The Decoration of Swords by Etching and Gilding . . . 223
13. Medieval European swords after 1000 . . . 230
Further reading . . . 287
Index . . . 291
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