A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF TWO EARLY IRON SWORDS FROM LURISTAN

Abstract

Two iron swords from Luristan were examined by X-rays and using metallographic sections. The first sword was shown to have a hilt made of five pieces of metal joined by four rivets, while the pommel was secured by a dowel on the end of the tang. Hilt and blade were sectioned for metallographic study. This showed that while the core of each part was pearlite, decarburization had taken place at the surfaces to give ferritic structures. The second sword was shown to have been made of seven pieces. The pommel was secured as in the first sword, but all other pieces were joined by fitting into prepared slots, the edges of which were burred. A section was cut from the hilt at a point where a decorative band had been applied. This showed large-grained ferrite at the surface and fine-grained ferrite with cementite at the boundaries in the core. It is argued that work previously carried out by other metallographers was inconsistent due to inadequate sampling, and that swords of this type were essentially of wrought...