Item
Physical Object
Left-Hand Parrying Spanish Dagger
- Object Name/Title
- Left-Hand Parrying Spanish Dagger
- Catalog Number
- 111-0055
- Physical Description
- This excavated left-hand parrying dagger represents a significant example of 16th century Spanish military technology. The weapon features a distinctive diamond cross-sectioned blade combined with defensive features including an S-shaped cross-guard (quillon) and side ring guard (anneau), characteristic of the parrying dagger type. The large flat oval pommel serves as a counterweight for precise control. Despite missing its grip, the dagger's configuration clearly shows its specialized purpose as a companion weapon for sword fighting, designed to catch and deflect opponent's blades.
- Dagger Type
-
Left-Hand Parrying Dagger (Main type)
Ring / Anneau (Sub-type) - Maker/Workshop
- Unknown; Spanish manufacture suspected
- Date of Creation
- Circa 1530
- Component Materials
-
Blade: Steel
Guard: Steel (S-shaped quillons and ring guard)
Pommel: Steel (flat oval form)
Grip: Originally present but now missing - Measurements
-
Overall length: 17 3/4 inches (45.1 cm)
Overall width: 3 5/8 inches (9.2 cm)
Blade length: 13 3/4 inches (34.9 cm)
Hilt length: 4 inches (10.2 cm)
Weight: 7 3/4 ounces (219.7 g) - Edge Configuration
- Diamond cross-section blade
- Guard Type
- S-shaped quillons (cross-guard) with side ring guard (anneau)
- Pommel Details
- Large flat oval pommel
- Acquisition Source
- Archaeological excavation
- Subject Terms
- Spanish weapons; Left-hand daggers; Parrying daggers; Archaeological finds; 16th century arms; Main gauche; Companion weapons
- Temporal and Spatial Coverage
-
Temporal: Early 16th Century (circa 1530)
Spatial: West coast of Florida (find location); Spain (origin) - Related Collections
- The F.E. Williams III Collection of Antique Weapons and Artifacts
- Collection Attribution
- Frederick Eugene Williams III (known as Jack Williams), Collector
- References and Citations
- Blades of the Conquistadors, The Jack Williams Collection, American Digger Magazine, Nov-Dec 2006
- Rights Statement
- © weaponscollector.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). Attribution required: "From the F.E. Williams III Collection at weaponscollector.com
