It’s almost time for The Excalibur Vow to be free into the world! I’ve shown you the cover, a blurb, a preorder link so you’ll hear about the book. But business aside…

Haven’t You Wondered What Excalibur REALLY looked like?

Whether you believe the renowned sword existed (leaving aside the magical component), do you have an idea what it would have looked like? It would not look the way it is portrayed in the movies, on book covers and in other graphics, like this:

Photo by Plastic Lines: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sword-monuments-on-foggy-georgian-hillside-31800122/

In the time period that is attributed to Arthur, around 300 to 330 CE, the sword most favored was the Gladius sword. It was used by the invading Romans, but may have Celtic roots (kladimos, which translates to ‘gladiator’). It had a shorter blade and handle, and a smaller pommel (the rounded feature on the end of the handle), making it easier to wield in battle. It was used for quick thrusts and slicing. Think of the fighters in the Roman Coliseum; that was the sword they used. So this is more what Excalibur would have looked like:

Image by kalhh from Pixabay

While the sword on my novel cover has the approximate correct blade length, the handle and overall length are probably too long and ornate (think artistic license, and Excalibur was a sword for a king, not a mere Roman soldier so it likely would have been more intricate).

Excalibur in Disney’s The Sword in the Stone, on the cover of The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, and in the English movie, Excalibur, along with almost every other artistic rendering, show a sword that we’re more familiar with, but didn’t exist until the thirteenth century. “The evolution of plate armor in the 13th to 17th centuries created a need for larger and longer swords. Short and dull swords could not effectively pierce plate armor or stab the joins of the plates”, says Working the Flame website https://workingtheflame.com/sword-history/. These swords were 40-48″ (about 3 1/2 to 4 feet long), and required both hands on the handle (grip) to wield it. This sword (and its sibling the Scottish claymore), are often pictured as the swords of kings, like Charlemagne, King Edward I, and others in the medieval period. When longbows were developed, the longer swords lost favor. Maybe the last time a long sword was used in battle was the popular Highlander movies and television show.

Whatever Excalibur looked like, real or imagined, how cool would it be to actually FIND IT…?

Oh, and I’m putting together a special giveaway ONLY for those signed up for my blog (which I’m using as a newsletter because you know me and tech issues). I promise not to invade your mailbox more than once a month unless something BIG happens (like this book release and giveaway. I don’t have the motivation or time, and I know YOU don’t have the desire or time to read more than that.) So, stay tuned.