Interpreting the Artifacts of the Pale Pass Excavation

Interpreting the Artifacts of the Pale Pass Excavation in Light of Records from the Ancient Fighters Guild

By Viatra Logellus of the Imperial City

Published by the Imperial Archaeological Academy, 4E 75

Forgive the long winded title, but I must clearly outline my intentions in using an interdisciplinary methodology that one or another community of scholars might object to. Out historical sources for the period of the Reman Dynasty and the Akaviri Potentate are sparse, but superior (at least) to all the data we have on Akavir itself. Our knowledge of Akaviri society, politics, religion, material culture and literature are all woefully inadaquate. To make anything more than the most obvious of observations of Pale Pass fortress, one must cast a wide net in gathering pertinent historical sources. That is why I sought out earliest possible records of Tamriel's Fighters Guild. Founded in 2E 320 by Versidue-Shaie, the early Guild exhibited strong Akaviri influence. I suspected that the earliest Fighters Guild documents might contain information on Akaviri military traditions. Thankfully, such records were relocated to the library of the Imperial City early in the Third Era.

Section: Weapons, Subsection: Swords

Concerning the weapons and weapon fragments excavated from Pale Pass, they appear to conform to the categories described in early Fighters Guild manuals. The best preserved examples were all found within the interior chambers of the fort (unsurprising) while the weapons in the exterior sections were corroded and fragmentary. Beginning with the swords, they can be described by three major and two minor types.

Katana is the term today used almost universally to describe Akaviri style swords, but the ancient Guild employed the term more narrowly and specifically. It was, to quote the manual, "The sidearm of the foot soldier and unarmored gentleman. To be worn above one's hip, tucked securely into the sash around one's waist, edge aligned upward. From this position it can be drawn rapidly, while remaining comfortable and unobtrusive." This is contrasted directly with another sword of similar dimensions, the tachi. The manual describes it thusly, "The older style of sword worn suspended, edge downward, from one's hip by rings attached to the scabbard. Still typically carried by heavily armored or mounted warriors. Often richly decorated by wealthy owners, this should not belie its' lethality in skilled hands." Indeed, the excavation uncovered more of the katana style blades than their tachi counterparts, although more were discovered in an armory than with the remains of Akaviri soldiers. Although the manuals do not go into detailed physical descriptions of the blades (the early Guild would have undoubtedly had no shortage of physical examples) we found the differences between these two types to be subtle and difficult to positively identify in the case of poorly preserved examples.

The third most common type uncovered at Pale Pass was the oversized nodachi. While all Akaviri swords have a grip that can accommodate two hands, the long blade of the nodachi absolutely requires a two handed grip, like the common greatsword. The manual's description reads, "The nodachi is a true battlefield weapon. It cannot be worn anymore than a spear can be worn. It must be carried. It requires great strength and skill to wield, but it is an effective weapon against spearmen and cavalry." Long and heavy Akaviri swords of this type are typically called daikatana in modern parlance. That term does not appear in the ancient Fighters Guild manuals or any Akaviri source. I do not know how this bastardized term was coined. A katana is a katana by virtue of size, shape and use; if you add several feet to the length of its blade, it does not become a large katana, but a different sort of sword altogether. Of course, these are comments upon period Akaviri terminology. All these swords have become fully nativized to Tamriel and it is only natural that we have adopted out own terminology and use.

(comments, criticism and questions welcomed)