Weapons of the books - Avallach's sword

[x]

I would like to hang a sword on my wall. I would like most of all for it to be the sword that Charis had made for Avallach, that Merlin used, and then Arthur. The sword is described as having some kind of intertwined snakes for the handle with ruby eyes.
Does such a sword exist in replica form?
Where might I find it?
Is anyone aware of a picture or rendering of what SRL pictured when he described it in the book?

I am grateful for any assistance in this matter!

[dinadan]

I don't know of anyone making an SRL version of Excalibur.

[Gwalchmai]

The closest rendering of the sword in Stephen's Pendragon Cycle that I've seen is on the cover of my copy of the book. Most Excalibur swords look like this:



Personally, I have over a dozen blades hanging on my own wall and they are all nice after their own fashion however none of them really reflect me like this puppy does:



So I would suggest you look around for something that reflects you because good/nice sword cost a good chunk of change so the least you can do is get one you'll be happy with for forever

[cowgirl]

I've never heard of a remake, but if there was one it would be awesome to even see it.

[prophet]

I would buy one in a heartbeat. Is there a picture or at least a very very detailed description?

[Merlin]

i have debated designing and having one made

[Dred]

If you do please post up pictures and your story of how you're doing in making it. It would be great to have that information so we can all live vicariously through your experience.

[Merlin]

I will, but i dont expect this to be in the very near future...design comes first. There isnt a lot of description of the sword other than the red gold hilt and serpent handle/pomell, correct?

[Dred]

I completely understand that. It will take time to make sure you have just what you want.

I believe there is more of a description but I don't remember it right now. I would have to go back to the books and see what I can find.

[Caledvwlch]

I'm a sword enthusiast, and i'd be interested in anything you come up with, too. I haven't looked at the book's description of the sword, but remember that the sword was Atlantean, not Celtic. Judging from the culture and society exhibited in Atlantis in Taliesin, I would guess that the blade would be a hand-and-a-half sword.

Obviously we don't have the faintest idea what alphabet the Atlanteans used, but it might be interesting to see if you could get those inscriptions done in a language other than English--Gaelic, perhaps, falling short of the original Celtic. Just a few thoughts.

You'll notice my username and little subtitle are on this sword. I really like Excalibur/Caledvwlch. I'm glad he gave it a new name. Excalibur sounds too Saxon.

[Messenger of Eden]

Find a swordmaker at a rennaisance fair or Highland games, and challenge him to produce it for the Games (or Fair) the next year!

[Treskillard]

Caledvwlch (and everyone),

You're right that Lawhead had Excalibur of Atlantean design ... that gives more freedom and allows for a lot of creativity if someone were to make it. The "Sword of Britain" (Magnus Maximus' sword) would have been more Iron Age Celtic. I think it is interesting and fun that Lawhead made two swords rather than one, which accounts for the apparent contradiction in the legends.

I also think Gaelic would be a good choice. Have you ever wondered that Lawhead never had the two races have trouble communicating? My guess is that they spoke languages that had the same root, so if that were true, then Gaelic is about as close as we can get. Also, I don't recall Arthur ever "puzzling" over a strange script on the blade ... it must have been readable to him (or did I forget something?)

If anyone wants to see my discussion about iron age swords and my own design for an iron-age Excalibur (non-Atlantean, for my own book--I do link to some actual swords they have dug up), you can take a look at one of my blog posts at:

EpicTales.org - Excalibur Design

Besides being an amateur blacksmith/knifemaker (with hopes of working my way up to swordmaking), I'm also a graphic designer. Because of that, I put together a really cool picture of what the hilt looks like, so take a look and let me know what you think.

Your opinion matters to me, whether good bad or sad so leave a comment on the blog post!

Also, isn't Caledvwlch the Welsh name for Excalibur?

Thanks!

[Treskillard]

Gwalchmai,

I forgot to mention that I really like your stag-horn hilted sword! That is a great looking sword!

[Child of Immanuel]

"The "Sword of Britain" (Magnus Maximus' sword) would have been more Iron Age Celtic."

Might it have been Roman?

"Also, I don't recall Arthur ever "puzzling" over a strange script on the blade ... it must have been readable to him (or did I forget something?)"

I think he asked Myrddin and Myrddin told him what it said.


I don't mean to be critical here... just throwing in my two cents.

[Treskillard]

Yes, you are right! I had not remembered that part, but it says clearly:

"These figures," he said, turning once more to Charis, "I cannot read them. What do they mean?"
"It is Atlantean script," she explained.

Thanks for correcting me on that! So Gaelic would be fun, but not accurate. I wonder what culture Lawhead imagined the Atlanteans coming from? In Taliesin they seem very 'Minoan', and I know many scholars think that the island of Minoa was the Atlantis of fable, yet Lawhead appears to placed the island much closer to Britain than the Mediterranean. I wonder if anyone knows the ancient Minoan script?

On the sword of Magnus Maximus--it is a very good question as to its style. I had assumed that if it was called the "Sword of Britain" that it had been forged there, and if forged there, that it might have been forged by a British smith, and in that sense, it might have had a more Celtic look, but all of that is my empty speculation. So it really could have been Roman in styling, and even could have been forged outside of Britain.

FWIW, I just looked up Lawhead's description:

A sword--not the short, broad gladius of the legionary, but the long, tapering length of singing lightning of the Celt. The hilt was handsome bronze wrapped in braided silver with a great amethyst of imperial purple in the pommel. The jewel was engraved with the Eagle of the Legion...

So it would appear at least to be Celtic in shape, but Roman in ornamentation. Very interesting!

Thanks for encouraging me to look it up and not speak out of my forgetfulness, Child of Immanuel!