Author: Richard F. Burton
Pages: 336
Cover: Softbound
Dimensions: 6 1/8" x 9 1/4"
Item #: BK218
Price: $13.95
"The history of the sword is the history of humanity." With these words, British author, Victorian scholar and world traveler, Sir Richard Burton begins his eloquent and exceptionally erudite history of the "Queen of Weapons." Spanning centuries, and a wide range of cultures, Burton illuminates the sword as both ornamental and potent symbol. Drawing from a wealth of literary, archaeological, anthropological, and other sources, the author traces the sword's origins, from its birth as a charred and sharpened stick, through its diverse stages of development, to its full growth in the early Roman Empire. This text provides an incredible wealth of detailed data about the sword and its variations: sabres, broadsword, cutlass, scimitar, rapier, foil as well as dirks, dagger, knives, flails. Any military and social historian, scholar, or armchair adventurer will find this volume a fascinating account of this symbol of power.