The wood of Merovingian weaponry

Abstract

After metal, wood was the second most important material for weapon production in early medieval Europe. The weaponry of Merovingian warriors consisted of a double-edged long sword (spatha), a single-edged short sword (seax), a shield, a spear, an axe, as well as a bow and arrows. Belowground organic material remains have often been preserved through mineralisation processes over centuries to millennia. Although these objects are frequently found as grave goods in burials, systematic material identification is still missing. Here, we present wood anatomical features of 316 weapons from 42 cemeteries of the Merovingian Dynasty in northeastern France. The most commonly used wood for weapons was ash (Fraxinus excelsior), followed by alder (Alnus sp.) and hazel (Corylus avellana). While guaranteeing optimum quality and utility, these taxa were mostly considered for spears, arrows, spatha scabbards and shields. Density and mechanical properties further influenced wood selection. An attractive appearance of representative weaponry also affected species preference. At the same time, wood choice rooted in tradition, as knowledge transfer persisted over many centuries and cultures.