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miekka

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miekka

physical description: Sword KM 17208:588 from Tampere has the name BENO written on the blade. The inscriptions read +BENOMEFECIT and +INNOMIEDMI+, again the latter a version of the phrase IN NOMINE DOMINI. The material of the inlays is hard to determine; it may be pattern-welded with a straight pattern, but more likely it is steel.

A complete sword in good condition. Weight: 938 g. Balance point: 180 mm. On one side the fuller is inscribed +BENOMEFECIT, and the reverse side bears the inscription +INNOMIEDMIX. The material of the inlays seems to be non-twisted pattern-welded rod or steel with longitudinal slag inclusions or a corroded structure. The material of the inlays contains large amounts of steel. The inlays were defined by surface
examination. The hilt belongs to the silver-plated type. The parts of the hilt are of iron
and decorated with silver-plating on a hatched surface (30 grooves/cm in one direction). The silver was decorated with engravings. The sword is a grave find from inhumation no. 12a (KM 17208:576–592) in a combined inhumation and level-ground cremation cemetery. The cemetery was excavated by E. Sarasmo in 1961 (KM 17208:501–700). The sword also has a collection number in the Häme Museum
(HM 2463:88).

Literature: Hirviluoto 1992: 44–45; Moilanen 2010b: 48–49, 57;
Nallinmaa-Luoto 1978: 127–130, Taulu VII:9; Räty 1983: 106, 111,
156, 173–174, 177–178, 285; Räty 1998: 44; Tomanterä 1978: 67–68,
136, 138; Tomanterä 1984a: 340.

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