Oakeshott Type XV Sword from The Battle of Castillon 1453

The diamond-shaped cross-section of this sword was developed in response to plate armor: swords like this could penetrate the gaps in a suit of armor and pierce the protective mail armor underneath.

This sword is one of the most intact examples from a highly important cache of swords excavated from in the River Dordogne in France. These swords were lost on July 17, 1453, by the retreating English forces at Castillon, the final battle of the Hundred Years' War.

Cf. PMA 2010-32-1. The Castillon group is discussed by Oakeshott in Blankwaffen (1980).

Accession Number
2007.03

Origin
Western Europe (hilt possibly English), 1400-1450

Materials
Steel; traces of organic materials from grip and scabbard

Measure

O.L. 36 1/2"; blade L. 29"

Weight
3 lb. 8 oz.

For more information on Type XV Swords see this extract from Ewart Oakeshott's Records of the Medieval Sword: sword-site.com/thread/166/oakeshott-type-records-medieval-sword

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Source: higgins.lostpapyr.us/artifacts/2007.03