Iron Weapons

Iron casting was in use from at least the fifth century B.C. It revolutionised weapon making as iron objects could be made much more cheaply than bronze.

The scabbard or sword cover is made from lacquered wood. Lacquer is made from the sap of a lacquer tree. It can be coloured black, brown or red and is painted on to wood like a coloured varnish. It was both colourful and practical protecting the vessel from heat, water and insects.

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