Game of Thrones

Luc LEFEBVRE · 8th November 2012, 10:01 PM

Sword from "Game of Thrones", inspired from ?

Luc LEFEBVRE · 8th November 2012, 10:04 PM

Egyptian Kopesh ?

Luc LEFEBVRE · 8th November 2012, 10:11 PM

African knife ?

Rick · 9th November 2012, 12:18 AM

Art imitates Life ?

Battara · 9th November 2012, 12:40 AM

I was thinking the kopesh.

There are also some Indian ceremonial swords like this as well.

David · 9th November 2012, 03:36 PM

Game of thrones is an AWESOME show, one of the best things i have ever seen produced for TV. The weapons are all intentionally fantasy weapons, but obviously they draw strongly from historic examples.

Jim McDougall · 9th November 2012, 06:28 PM

Excellent observation Luc! While artists, authors and film makers typically prefer to to reveal thier inspirations or models for thier creations, it is quite clear that exposure to many sources form their basis.
Rembrandt had quite a collection of arms and armor, and the use of modern ethnographic weapons such as the keris quite of of accurate context in Biblical settings was pushing the limits of artistic license, but very effective visually.
In movies like "Sleepy Hollow" the dramatically effective fantasy sabre carried by Christopher Walken as the 'headless horseman' was again visually quite effective. In looking into the swords which would have been carried by the Hessian cavalry of the period and locations, the regulation sword was of course far from the needed effect.
In art, Frank Frazetta's "Death Dealer" of a mounted barbarian horseman with horned helmet and huge war axe is incredibly impressive. I noticed that the hilt on the sword the warrior is wearing is clearly the Sassanian longsword of about 4th c. (if memory serves). I also noticed that some apparantly earlier versions of the painting did not have the sword.
In any case, probably out of context, but effective in the amalgam of inspirations from varied arms and armor.

It is a great subject, and I think we have had a thread of this topic before which was great fun, and fascinating..there are so many wonderful instances.

Thank you Luc!!!

All the best,
Jim

8th November 2012, 10:01 PM	#1
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 472	Game of Thrones Sword from "Game of Thrones", inspired from ? Attached Images

8th November 2012, 10:04 PM	#2
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 472	Egyptian Kopesh ? Attached Images

8th November 2012, 10:11 PM	#3
Luc LEFEBVRE Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: France Posts: 472	African knife ? Attached Images

9th November 2012, 12:18 AM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	Art imitates Life ?

9th November 2012, 12:40 AM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,225	I was thinking the kopesh. There are also some Indian ceremonial swords like this as well.

9th November 2012, 03:36 PM	#6
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,125	Game of thrones is an AWESOME show, one of the best things i have ever seen produced for TV. The weapons are all intentionally fantasy weapons, but obviously they draw strongly from historic examples.

9th November 2012, 06:28 PM	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,948	Excellent observation Luc! While artists, authors and film makers typically prefer to to reveal thier inspirations or models for thier creations, it is quite clear that exposure to many sources form their basis. Rembrandt had quite a collection of arms and armor, and the use of modern ethnographic weapons such as the keris quite of of accurate context in Biblical settings was pushing the limits of artistic license, but very effective visually. In movies like "Sleepy Hollow" the dramatically effective fantasy sabre carried by Christopher Walken as the 'headless horseman' was again visually quite effective. In looking into the swords which would have been carried by the Hessian cavalry of the period and locations, the regulation sword was of course far from the needed effect. In art, Frank Frazetta's "Death Dealer" of a mounted barbarian horseman with horned helmet and huge war axe is incredibly impressive. I noticed that the hilt on the sword the warrior is wearing is clearly the Sassanian longsword of about 4th c. (if memory serves). I also noticed that some apparantly earlier versions of the painting did not have the sword. In any case, probably out of context, but effective in the amalgam of inspirations from varied arms and armor. It is a great subject, and I think we have had a thread of this topic before which was great fun, and fascinating..there are so many wonderful instances. Thank you Luc!!! All the best, Jim