Falchion

Falchions were a common personal weapon in the Middle Ages, particularly among townspeople, who were permitted to carry them under municipal law. On the other hand, their military use is evidenced by the presence of handguard plates that protected the knuckles, typically mounted on the right side of the hilt base. The handguard plate of the presented example is shaped like the scallop shell of St. James. It is round, with radiating longitudinal grooves and two small holes at the bottom. It is mounted on a shaft in the form of a cylinder, riveted at the end. In the Middle Ages, the scallop shell of St. James, modelled on the outer skeleton of a mollusc known as the scallop, was a pilgrim symbol for those travelling to the tomb of the apostle in Santiago de Compostela. St. James the Greater (?–43 or 44) was the patron of those fighting heresy, which is why the scallop motif was often used in the decoration of knightly equipment, as well as daggers during the Crusades. Handguard plates with shapes similar to the one on this falchion are commonly found in archaeological discoveries from the regions of Bohemia and Moravia. They are associated with 15th-century Hussite Wars and are also seen on Moravian-type falchions. A few such examples have been discovered in Silesia as well. Unfortunately, the origin of the Szczecin falchion remains unknown. The collections of the National Museum in Szczecin also include another knife with a scallop-shaped handguard plate, although its blade is broken and features a stamp in the form of a crayfish (inventory number MNS/Rz/4130). Justyna Bądkowska