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4 sketch madę of the now tost i2th-century effigy of William Clito (died 1127), Count ofFlanders and son of Duke Robert of Wormandy. His face is protectcd by a Steel mask formed by expanding the nasal and which appears to be picrccd with yertical

these, or they might be incorporated into a zoomor-phic shape.

Twelfth-century shields often had a flattened top but freąuently retained rounded corners. Many were curved to the wearer. The strap arrangements dif-fered łittle from the previous century and are often simplified in art. Straps, probably of metal, are sometimes seen on shield faces, radiating from the boss in a decorative design which also strengthened the shield. Such designs also passed into heraldic usage.

F: Weapons

The sword was the most prized of weapons. Pattern-welded forms were madę from bundles of twisted rods of iron and mild Steel (carburised iron), forged together, beaten and twisted until the blade was formed. It retained the wavy design along its surface, hence the name. Pattern-welded swords were madę in a variety of combinations of iron and mild Steel. Swords madę from iron and Steel were also forged in a variety of ways, some of which are illustrated here. Many swordsmiths probably took their secrets to the grave.

The hilt of a sword was formed by first sliding the cross-guard down until it rested against the shoulders of the blade. The grip was formed from two halves of carved wood which were presumably glued together around the tang. The pommel—here of tea-cosy form—was slotted over the end and the tip of the tang hammered over to hołd the components in place. The grip could be left as plain wood, but it would usually be bound additionally. This might have taken the form of a soft leather sheath stitched at the side and shrunk on to the grip, or else a strip bound up it. Some swords would probably be further embellished by an interlaced cord which not only gave an attractive appearance but helped to form a rough grip for a sweating hand. The earliest surviving grips are of I3th-century datę but i2th-century illustrations suggest similar forms were used earlier. A lobated pommel, a late survivor of an earlier style, is also shown.

Most swords had straight or slightly curved cross-guards which helped prevent a weapon from sliding up the blade to the hand. Some knights may have hooked their forefinger over the guard to assist in controlling their weapon. Many hilts are ąuite smali, suggesting that the sw^rord was sometimes held with the pommel actually w ithin the lower part of the palm. This is a simple wheel pommel.

Scabbards were madę from two slats of w^rood

slots for ventilation. The decorative crosses on the helmet may be a mark of rank, a sort ofmodihed coronet. A yentail is drawn diagonally across the face and secnred at the left tempie. The shield bands are both dccorativc andact as reinforcement.

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