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Bronze Age (2100 BC to 700 BC)Medieval swords existed in great varieties over a number of centuries. Both experimentation and specialization in design was constant. Certain common characteristics can describe the "generic" medieval sword as a long, wide, straight, double - edged blade with a simple cross-guard. Swords might be designed for one or two - hands. The typical form was a single hand weapon used for hacking, shearing cuts and also for limited thrusting. This style developed essentially from Celtic, Germanic, Anglo-Saxon, and late Roman forms. The Viking and early Frankish forms are also considered to be more direct ancestors. Medieval swords can be classified (typically by hilt design) into many categories by curators, collectors, and military historians. At the time, long bladed weapons were simply referred to as "swords", or for the longer ones often a "sword of war", "war - sword", or even a "long - sword.
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