Left-Hand Parrying Dagger or Short Sword

Object Name/Title

Left-Hand Parrying Dagger or Short Sword

Catalog Number

111-0066

Physical Description

A Spanish left-hand parrying dagger or short sword featuring a distinctive spear-point blade with three fullers (grooves) on each side. The weapon exemplifies the sophisticated fighting styles of 16th-century Spanish swordplay, where such daggers were used in the off-hand for parrying and defending while wielding a rapier in the main hand. Its design, with the characteristic ring guard and curved quillons, demonstrates the evolution of personal combat weapons during the Spanish colonial period. The grip is currently missing, indicating potential archaeological degradation.

Dagger Type

Left-Hand Parrying Dagger

Maker/Workshop

Unknown Spanish manufacturer

Date of Creation

Circa 1530

Component Materials

Blade: Steel
Guard: Steel
Pommel: Steel
Grip: Missing

Measurements

Overall length: 19 3/8 inches (49.2 cm)
Overall width: 6 3/4 inches (17.1 cm)
Blade length: 14 inches (35.6 cm)
Hilt length: 5 3/8 inches (13.7 cm)
Weight: 1 lb 5 1/2 oz (603 g)

Edge Configuration

Double-edged spear-point blade with three fullers (grooves) on each side

Guard Type

Curved cross-guard (quillon) with ring guard (anneau) featuring a turned down finial

Pommel Details

Large scent-stopper shaped pommel

Object History

Excavated near the Rio Grande river in New Mexico, this dagger is associated with the period of Coronado's exploration of the area (1540-1542). The discovery location and dating suggest it may be connected to the Spanish exploration and colonization of the American Southwest. Left-hand daggers of this type were essential components of the Spanish fighting style, reflecting the sophisticated martial arts that developed in Europe during the Renaissance period.

Acquisition Source

(1) The Journey of Coronado, 1540-1542 by Pedro de Castaneda de Nagera, Antonio de Mendoza, and Juan Camilo Jaramillo(2) Blades of the ConquistadorsThe Jack Williams Collection, American Digger Magazine, Nov-Dec 2006

Subject Terms

Spanish weapons; Left-hand daggers; Parrying daggers; Archaeological finds; Colonial Spanish artifacts; 16th century arms; Coronado expedition; Main gauche

Temporal and Spatial Coverage

Temporal: Early 16th Century (circa 1530)
Spatial: Rio Grande region, New Mexico, United States

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

Pedro de Castaneda de Nagera, Antonio de Mendoza, and Juan Camilo Jaramillo, The Journey of Coronado, 1540-1542

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