Sacrificed Sword

This is a reimagining of the destroyed sword I created a few years back for an art class. I was approached by a client who was interested in having a pattern welded sword made and then ritually killed.

I created the blade from twisted bars and iron, then polished the sword as I would any other. I cast the fittings with my friend Matt Berry and then carved them. Then I began the process of destroying this sword. I gave it a temporary handle and then damaged the edges of the sword against various targets. After I was done I began to heat and bend the blade into the curled shape the customer wanted.

These objects hold a lot of power. Ritual death is the answer ancient people had to the inherent power of swords. By returning them to the fire, and sometimes water, the piece was laid to rest, so that its potency went into the earth with it. It is a beautiful reinventing of the cycle of life and death.