Weapons have been a part of mankind since the beginning of civilization and have played an instrumental role in its survival against various elements. While our cave dwelling ancestors used weapons to defend themselves against creatures in their surroundings, the successive generations have utilized them for several reasons. Although it is extremely difficult to pinpoint exactly when the first sword came into being historians estimate that it must have evolved from the primitive shafts and rocks. Since then swords have come a long way and are now regarded as the epitome of sophistication and class.

The earliest sword had probably been carved out of a large chunk of wood which is why it was bulky, extremely heavy to carry and wield and nowhere close in sharpness to the present day specimen. It was the introduction of metals which is regarded as being the first important milestone in the history of swords as metallurgy brought about a world of difference in these weapons. Sabers of metal were not only lighter but could also be sharpened to the degree sought by the user and as a result they had the advantages of being easy to wield and effectively intimidating the foe.

Some of the metals which served as the first raw materials for making swords were copper and bronze. But over a period of time shortcomings pertaining to these metals emerged in the sense that copper lost its sharpness very quickly and its alloy, bronze, also was not able to retain its edge for long. So the quest for a better material continued until the advent of the Iron Age and the credit for having forged the first iron sword named Falcata goes to Iberian swordsmiths. These were ancient sabers and due to the lack of technology they were more suitable for hacking than for cutting and slicing.

If there is any incident in the history of swords through centuries that could be regarded as a major turning point it is the discovery of steel. Origin and Toledo are varieties which have survived till today and although rooted in ancient customs they are still in use today for ceremonies and as collector’s items. Another name for a steel sword is scabbard and although feared as being lethal in the bygone era, it is now mostly used as a decorative item. Much of this weapon’s shape, size, appearance and other details are derivatives of its ethnicity while the ornate carvings determine its price.

During the ancient era, the honor of brandishing swords did not belong to European horsemen alone – thousands of miles to the east their Japanese counterparts were equally enamored with this weapon although their concept was totally different. Members of a warrior clan named Samurai used to travel alone on foot and hence carried sabers with them for protection. Originally from China, the Samurai sword arrived in Japan towards the end of the 3rd century AD as a gift to the queen and was double-edged. Known as Tsurugi, these eventually gave way to the single edged version named Chokuto.

Middle Ages were probably the most tumultuous times in the history of the world and swords were important weapons of war at this time. Every army specialized in designing sabers which it felt would enable its soldiers to fight the opposition most effectively. Particularly renowned varieties of that epoch are Rapier and Longsword of Europe, Chinese Jian and the Japanese Katana. No matter what its country of origin might have been, every sword belonging to this period in history was characterized by high functionality and ornate carvings.
Swords http://www.swordsetc.com have been a part of civilization since the days when our cave dwelling ancestors roamed the globe. Since then these have improved and evolved as weapons so much so that every region boasts of its own specialized sword http://www.swordsetc.com which is specifically designed to suit its warriors.