Today we often like categorize swords in different types or categories. Historically however, a sword was often (but not always) referred to as just – a sword, even though there has been quite a lot of different swords in use at the same time at certain geographical areas or places.
Categorization of Swords
First, we can divide swords into categories, whereof “types” is one of these categories. The categories listed here are not taken from any particular source.
- Historical era of usage (e.g. Bronze age sword)
- Geographical origin (e.g. Japanese sword)
- Specific types (e.g. a longsword)
- Purpose (e.g. training, duel)
- Blade (e.g. single edged)
- Grip (single or two handed, or hand and a half, i.e. either one or two hands)
- Material (e.g. wood, iron)
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Types of Swords
There are no definitive common agreed definitions of different types of swords, although some are more “agreed” than others. Some swords can actually fit into different types and depending on whom you ask it could be said to be a certain type, but referring to some other source it would be another type. Also, some swords can belong to more than one type and dividing swords into types is not really black & white, but rather a gradient where some swords fit different types more or less.
Here is a list of different types of swords:
Work in progress
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