Recently I have had the privilege to research classical fencing and its general roots, and as I traced the history of various swords through the ages, I noticed something rather interesting. The idea of a sword that can thrust but not cut was not an isolated phenomena of Renaissance Europe. Certain Roman units carried a ridged sword designed for thrusting, it had no cutting edges, only a needle sharp point. The Chinese developed a similar sword, it was intended for breaking swords and then punching a neat hole in an attacker. Among the personal weapons of medieval Europe we see long daggers and stilettos with no edge, only a point, they were designed strong as armor piercing last ditch weapons. Interestingly enough, these daggers remained a part of western sword fighting for a good long time, the daggers used in historical fencing are based off of these. Small shields accompanying swords (sword and buckler) have been around long before the Europeans adopted them, Depictions of sword and buckler fighting have been found as far back as hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt. Versions existed simultaneously with the Romans and medieval knights preferred the buckler for their own defense. As the sword continued its evolution, the buckler stayed alongside as the off hand weapon of choice (for the English as least) through the Renaissance. Unfortunately, almost no one (if any) remains who understands sword and buckler like it was practiced in the medieval period. If you ever get the chance to study sword and buckler, do not pass it up. Carry that knowledge and pass it on lest it be lost forever. I hope that this little page has inspired you to join us in keeping history alive for future generations to enjoy.

Erik Schlagel, December 8, 2009
  

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