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Elam was an ancient kingdom of Asia, situated
north of the Persian Gulf and east of the Tigris
River, and corresponding approximately to the
present-day province of Khuzistan in Iran. The
capital of Elam and its most fabled city was Sûsa,
today the city of Shûsh. This powerful empire has
been overshadowed in history by the rival
kingdoms of Babylon and Assyria. However, their
extraordinary metalwork survives to this day, a
testament to the expertise of their craftsman.
The present sword is a marvelous product of a
culture adept in bronze working, created during
the time of the early European Iron Age. The
cross guard and tang of the sword are cast as
one piece with the blade. The hilt would have
been wrapped with leather to provide a
comfortable grip for the user, and the end of the
tang, protruding beyond the grip of the hilt,
would have been topped with a pommel, perhaps
of wood or a precious metal, and set in place
with a cross pin. The sword would have been
cast in a rough mold and then the edges would
have been forged, giving them a sharpened edge
and simultaneously hardening the surfaces.
Such an item would have been the prized
possession of a wealthy warrior or even a
chieftain, and the cost to fashion it would
preclude ownership by the average inhabitant.
Surely such a lavish, luxurious item was reserved
strictly for the possession of the ruling elite and
their immediate family. While the kings of Elam
once ruled over a vast empire, no doubt
amassing countless priceless treasures, today
their memory is preserved through the remnants
of their wealth. This sword is not just a gorgeous
work of art, but also the only lasting tribute to a
vanished empire.
- (AR.007)
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