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THE FALCATA: THE MOST FEARED IBERIAN WEAPON
Summer 2008

The Summer 2008 exhibit is an Iberian falcata (curved sword), part of the typical armament (defence and attack) of a 5th to 4th century BC Iberian warrior. Although Villajoyosa museum has a number of Iberian attacking weapons, this is the first falcata that has been found in the town.

The grave, where the sword was found, was excavated in 2003, and a soliferreum (iron spear) was also found. Other typical iron weapons used by an Iberian warrior were also found with the falcata, including a bracket from the sword’s scabbard, an Iberian shield handle (the first one in Villajoyosa Museum) and a fighting knife. These objects are currently being restored.

To find out exactly how much restoration work would be required to restore the falcata, an x-ray was first taken to determine what condition it was in, especially the metal core, and to see whether there were any fissures or cracks. The restoration work undertaken was a long and intricate process. This is because as the concretions were removed, the surface had to be consolidated using an acrylic resin so that the falcata did not flake away.

The blade of the falcata is decorated with grooves and is 44 cm long. This size probably coincides with the length of the warrior’s forearm, as falcatas were generally made to measure.

Falcatas would have been used by Iberian horsemen against enemy foot soldiers, as the power of the cut would have increased when made from a higher position. The falcata was much feared, even by the Romans, as is clearly shown in a 1st century AD quotation by the Latin writer, Pliny the Elder:
it can slice off arms at the shoulder, cut off heads from bodies with just one stroke of the blade, open up the insides and cause all types of ghastly injuries

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Ajuntament de la Vila Joiosa
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