Massive / Long Thracian Iron Blade, Sickle Form (Falx)

Classical World, Balkan Europe, Thrace / Dacia, ca. 4th to 1st century BCE. A massive, terrifying long iron blade of sickle form with a one-sided guard and a long, straight tang terminating in a knotted shape for a hilt. The blade is sharpened only on its interior side. This is a weapon famous in Roman sources, described by Ovid and Juvenal, with the Latin name, falx, meaning "sickle" or "scythe", reputed to be an incredibly deadly weapon - able to be wielded with great force, splitting shields and piercing helmets, or used as a hook to pierce armor and rip it away from the body. Trajan's column has a helical frieze depicting the Roman conquest of Dacia that shows many of these weapons in use. Size: 2.7" W x 35.75" H (6.9 cm x 90.8 cm)

Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA, acquired in January 2017; ex-Angelo Zamfirescu collection, Nurnberg, Germany

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#149700
Condition Report: Handle is repaired in two places; this is well done and difficult to see. The iron has wear commensurate with age including some nicks, tears, and losses, mainly along the blade edge. The iron has been cleaned and a stabilizing agent applied.