Central/Eastern Europe, Balkan Region (Slovenia, Serbia, Bulgaria), Celtic peoples, ca. early 1st millennium BCE. A rare, lovely, and well-preserved iron sword of a single-edged design called a machaira (also makhaira or sica) with a hammered tang with 2 remaining iron rivets flanking a central third rivet that is missing. The blade is comprised of a thick spine with a central kick as well as a sharpened blade edge with a pointed tip, and above the blade shoulder is a guard panel that wraps around the bottom of the tang. Incised on one blade face are a set of parallel lines that terminate just before a trio of annular rings. Included with the machaira is a conical chape bearing hammer-molded bars on one side above a hemispherical bottom tip with radiating linear patterns along the topside. Thick layers of iron patina cover both components and imbue them with an attractive presentation. Size (machaira): 11.375" L x 1.16" W (28.9 cm x 2.9 cm); 4.8" H (12.2 cm) on included custom stand; (chape): 4.05" L x 1.15" W (10.3 cm x 2.9 cm)

Curved, single-edged swords developed during the Bronze Age in southeastern Europe, with various groups around the eastern Adriatic coast using them. One notable example is from the late La Tene cremation burial at Most na Soci, Slovenia, where a cremation burial included a sword of this type, a spearhead, and a fibula. In that burial, the sword and fibula had both been ritually destroyed as most metal grave goods were by the Celts.

Provenance: ex-private C. Davis collection, Cyprus, Texas, USA, acquired at auction or gallery before 2011

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#169701

Chips and small losses to pommel and guard wrap on machaira as well as loss to one rivet pin and small losses to chape. Machaira has bending to blade and overall form, with nicks to handle, pommel, and blade, softening to some incised details on one blade face, and encrustations and oxidation across machaira and chape. Wonderful patina throughout and nice preservation to overall form of both pieces.