Pages: 275-290

A medieval sword has been accidentally found in September 2014 near the Bohdan village of Rakhiv district of Zakarpattia Oblast of Ukraine. It is made of iron, has a relatively wide, flat, evenly conical blade with the edge damaged a bit closer to the tip. According to E. Oakeshott's classification, the find belongs to type ХІІ, its pommel — type Н, and its crossguard — type 2. The authors suggest that Northern Europe might be the place of origin for this type of blade weapons. Thus, the Northern Crusades of 1240—1260s seem to have played a special role in transferring type XII sword to the territory of Central Europe. The samples from Boskovice, Trenčín and Shepetivka hillfort are the closest analogies of the sword from the village of Bohdan. The images of this bladed weapon on tombstones and in graphic sources prove the dating of the sword — 13th — the first quarter of 14th centuries.

Keywords: Northern and Central Europe, Transcarpathia, Sweden, 13th — the first quarter of 14th cc., sword, bladed weapon, transfer of technologies, Teutonic Order, wars

Information about authors:

Andrii Fedoruk (Chernivtsi, Ukraine). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University. Kafedralna St., 2, Chernivtsi, 58012, Ukraine
E-mail: [email protected]
Igor Prokhnenko (Uzhhorod, Ukraine). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Uzhhorod National University. Narodna Sq., 3, Uzhhorod, 88000, Ukraine
E-mail: [email protected]