Scabbards

Roman scabbards follow a particular style, incorporating a staggering amount of brasswork.

There are a few variations in suspension for Saxon/Norse scabbards, frequently relying on a three point baldric type suspension, though belts could be worn.

Arming Sword Scabbards during the High Medieval Period (1000-1300) have a distinctive tied belt fastening.

There were quite a few variations of scabbard suspension in the 11th to 13th Century.

Arming Sword Scabbards in the 13th and 14th Century transitioned away from the earlier tied belts to incorporate buckles.

With the evolution of arming swords in the mid to late 14th Century, as plate armour increasingly took over, scabbard suspension began to evolve too.

The late 14th Century suspension evolved to the iconic 15th Century 3 point suspension, somewhere around the early 1400’s.

The late 14th Century suspension evolved to the iconic 15th Century 3 point suspension, somewhere around the early 1400’s.

The late 14th Century suspension evolved to the iconic 15th Century 3 point suspension.

The early Tudor period saw an interesting evolution of the 3 point suspension of the 15th Century

Suspensions became rather more complicated in the later Tudor period, while still essentially a Three point suspension.

The next evolution in scabbard suspension moved the belts from round the waist to a baldric.

Scabbards are still constructed to look historically accurate, with the same fittings and belts, just made of leather

Unlike daggers, short swords invariably had a woodcore scabbard too, though suspension could be a little more flexible.

While scabbards could be decorated, possibly by painting, prior to the 14th Century, there is little evidence that they were tooled before then.