Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
SANAT TARIHI DERGISI-JOURNAL OF ART HISTORY, cilt.30, sa.2, ss.1281-1299, 2021 (ESCI)
During the excavations in the byzantine city of Amorium, which are conducted from the year of 1988 systematically, two iron swords were recovered from the Trench XA of the Enclosure, which is located in the Lower City and from the Trench A4 of the Lower City Church respectively. The sword from the Trench XA of the Enclosure is saved integral while the sword from the Trench A4 of the Lower City Church is in fragmentary condition. Both swords have been dated in the Middle Byzantine Period and belong to the wide typology of the ring pommeled swords, judging from the shape of their pommel. Examining the hilt of the sword from the Trench A4 of the Lower City Church a crossguard that belongs to the wider typology of the so-called `'sleeved or cuffed type guard'' has been detected. Apart from the typological examination, the ring pommeled swords from Amorium raise useful conclusions about the characterization of the locations which these swords were found and together with the evaluation of the rest of the archaeological findings could contribute to this direction. To conclude, the swords from Amorium are considered rare and unique because a combination of different typological features is being observed, something which distinguishes them from the ring pommeled swords of the nearby civilizations. Thus, we can suggest a new typology of a byzantine ring pommeled sword with a sleeved cross-guard.