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{{Regia Tabs}}
''For blades over 14" in length see [[Regia Langseax|Langseax]]''<br>
''For blades under 7" in length see [[Regia Knives|Knives]]''<br>
<br>
== Seaxes==
[[File:Gav Seax.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Copy of a seax]]
The short seax is also known as a Scramasax, a Hadseax or just a Sax. The term Scramasax comes from Gregory of Tours writing in 575AD, who speaks of "boys with strong knives (cultris validis), which they commonly call scramasaxes (scramasaxos)." in his History of the Franks (IV, 52). It is not known if this name continued in use into the Viking Age. <br>
It is not uncommon for burials in the Viking age to contain more than one knife. It is likely that small heavy seaxes were in use up until the end of the C10th but that as a weapon it possibly really belongs to the pre-Viking period. <br>
Seaxs from the Viking Age never have metal fittings unlike those from the earlier pagan Anglo-Saxon period. <br><br>==Officer Rulings==Please note that there is Although primarily an everyday tool, in battle it could be used to finish off a change to the rulings for this item from the 1st January 2016.<blockquote style="background-color: lightgreen; border: solid thin grey;">'''Authenticity Officer'''<br>'''New Ruling from 1st Jan 2016'''<br>For events after 900AD blunt combat hadseax (Scramasax) blade lengths must now be between 18cm felled opponent, and 25cm (7-10”). This replaces the original ruling as stated in the Master-at-Arms Regulations version 3.0 (2005) stating 7-14”.<br>The evidence from Regia’s core period is that sharp blade lengths vary from between 7-11”. Blunting the point for combat reduces the length by 1”.Longer blades case of up to 14” (sharp) or 13” (blunt) of the appropriate blade form are allowed for events before 900AD.</blockquote><blockquote style="background-color: lightblue; border: solid thin grey;">'''Master-at-Arms'''<br>Blade length 178mm - 355mm (7” - 14”)<br>NOTES<br>i) The blade and tang must be made from steel. They must be rust and burr free and must be of good overall construction and condition.<br>ii) The blade edge must be no less than 2mm and no more than 5mm (1/5”) in thickness. In cross sectionsome ceorls, the edge may be rounded or round shouldered but must not be square edged. The edges of a weapon must include its cutting surface and any back edges also.<br>iii) Seaxes with a blade exceeding 200mm (8”) in length must be made entirely of spring steel.<br>iv) The seax tip should be rounded mid to no less than an 18mm (11/16”) diameter. (i.e. large sized scramaseaxe could have taken the diameter place of a 1999 5 pence piece)sword. Any angle on Although it contained much the back same amount of iron to make as a sword, the seax that is must be rounded over.<br>v)The blade should not be parallel-edged (back edge scramaseaxe was an easier weapon to cutting make with only one sharp edge and a thick reverse edge).<br>vi) The blade should not be parallel-sided.<br>vii) The blade may Examples found have a narrow fuller in one both just plain iron blades or both sidespattern welded ones as well as inlaid blades.<br>viii) Seaxes may have small ferrules on the hand-grip but must not have a properly developed crossguard or a pommel.<br> '''New Ruling from 1st Jan 2016'''<br>Before 900AD - Blade length 178mm - 355mm (7” - 14”)<br>After 900AD - Blade length 178mm - 250mm (7” - 10”)</blockquote><blockquote style="background-colorwere also almost certainly just everyday tools: LightSalmon; border: solid thin grey;">'''Military Training Officer'''<br>Training Stamps - The Trainee can combine the Long Weapon Test with the hadseax test as long as his six stamps show spearbutchery knives, shield and hadseaxwoodworking tools, eating knife, etc. This is the only occasion in which tests can be combined. If the trainee does not take this opportunity then they must collect another six stamps specifically with the hadseax. The spear Most blades were broad, shield heavy and hadseax are the first weapons that most people will learn.<br>Using with an angled back sloping in a straight line towards the backhand - A Hadseax point and this is the only weapon that can be used in a 'backhand' with a two handed spear – the hadeax does not count as a weapon in its own right – merely as a secondary weapontypical Saxon style.<br>Using in 'Armoured Man Melees' - Hadseaxs can only be used as a last resort/finishing off weapon</blockquote><blockquote The Scandinavian style="background-color: Khaki; border: solid thin grey;">'''Living History Co-ordinator'''<br>This is the LHE ruling</blockquote> ==Research====Images of Seaxes (C8th to C11th)== * 775-800AD St. Andrew Sarcophagus* C8th England, Derbyshire, Repton. Stone carving, [CAMERON 2000:p.200] [HINTON 2005: p.105]* 850-900AD Brussels, Bibliotheque Royale, Lat. 9987. Psychomachia* C9th Paris, BNF, Lat. 8085 fol.57r. Virtue, armed with had a sword more curving back and seax, combating the Frankish style a Vicemore curving blade. [BNF]* C10th BrusselsBlades were often inlaid with gold, Bibliotheque Royalesilver, mscopper or bronze wire beaten into fine channels carved into the iron blade. 10066-77 Psychomachia f.112r-139r* England, Dorset, Cranborne. Silver strap-end [HINTON 2005: p.113]* Middleton Warrior [BAILEY 1980:pl.14]* 975-1000AD Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS23, f.23r.[PARKER]* 1025-1050AD Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, MS lat 8824 - seax.jpg [OHLGREN 1992]* 1076AD Bayeux Tapestry [WILSON 1985:pl.6, 7] <gallery>St._Andrew_Sarcophagus.jpg|St. Andrew SarcophagusRepton_Stone.jpg|Repton StoneParis,_Bibliothèque_Nationale_de_France,_Lat._8085_seax.jpg| Paris, BNF, Lat. 8085Middleton_Warrior.jpg|Middleton WarriorBrussels,_Bibliotheque_Royale,_ms._10066-77_seax.jpg|Brussels Bib. ms. 10066-77Cranborne_Silver_strap-end.jpg|Cranbourne Strap End Paris,_Bibliothèque_Nationale,_MS_lat_8824_-_seax.jpg|Paris, BNF, Lat. 8824Bayeux_Tapestry_seax.JPG|Bayeux Tapestry</gallery> <br> ==Literature (C9th to C11th)==* Beowulf c.1000AD** "Grendel's mother; the hard man The grip was of conflict then heavedwood, now that he bone or antler and was enragedsometimes carved or decorated. The hilt was usually without a pommel or crossguard, whilst the deadly foe, so that she fell to tang went all the floor; she again him quickly gave hand-reward with wrathful grips and clutched him against herself; hen, weary in spirit, he stumbled, way through the strongest man, warrior on foot, so that he was in a fall; then she bestrode the guest in her hall, and drew her smaller seax, broad handles and bright-edged; she wished to avenge her son, only offspring;" lines 1538-1547 [http://www.heorot.dk/beowulf-rede-text.html heorot.dk]<br>** "Then again was clenched over at the king himself gathered his wits, drew a slaughter-seax bitter and battle-sharp, that he wore on his byrnie;" lines 2702-2704 [http://wwwend of the grip.heorot.dk/beowulf-rede-text.html heorot.dk]<br>** "beside him lies his life-contender sick with seax-wounds" line 2903-2904 [http://www.heorot.dk/beowulf-rede-text.html heorot.dk]<br> <br>==English Seax Blades (C9th to C11th)== [[File:Seax Blades.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Seax Blades]]Out of 128 knives found from Coppergate York, only 1 can be classed as Scramseaxes were always carried in a seax. [CAMERON 2000: p.64-65]<br> {||- valign="top" id="BC1"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_Dimmock_Cote.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Dimmock's Cote]]|width="600pt"| '''England, Cambridge, River Cam at Dimmock's Cote''':Current Location- University sheath of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge:Type- ? 800AD:Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: ? :Comments- 'large scramasax with a groove along folded leather sewn down the back blunt side of the blade' [BJORN 1940:p.69].:Bibliography- [BJORN 1940:p.69] |- valign="top" id="BC2"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_Cumwhitton_634.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Cumwhitton 634]]|width="600pt"| '''England, Cumwhitton, Plough Soil''':Current Location- Tullie House Museum:Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: 30mm; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: 220mm :Comments- 'Patern-welded blade with remains of possible leather sheath still attached' [PATERSON 2014:catwhich was often decorated.634].:Bibliography- [PATERSON 2014:p.50,51 & Cat.634] |- valign="top" id="BC3"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_Cumwhitton_885.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Cumwhitton 885]]|width="600pt"| '''England, Cumwhitton, Grave 5''':Current Location- Tullie House Museum:Type- ? :Find Date- ? :Size- Blade Length: 182mm; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: 270mm :Comments- 'Part pattern welded. Has It is unlikely that a horn handle with inlaid silver wire.' [PATERSON 2014:cat.885].:Bibliography- [PATERSON 2014:p.110 & Cat.885] |- valign="top" id="BK1"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_Sittingbourne.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Sittingbourne]]|width="600pt"| '''Englandsmall scramaseax could kill a heavily padded or mailed man, Kent, Sittingbourne''':Current Location- British Museum 1881,0623probably just serving to irritate him.1:Type- Wheeler IV 900-925AD:Find Date- 1881 :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: ? :Comments- It'inlaid with copper, bronze, silver s main employment was probably as an eating and niello.' [WILSON 1964:cat.80].:Bibliographyall- [WILSON 1964:cat.80] [[http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?assetId=476352&objectId=95276&partId=1 British Museum]] |- valign="top" id="BL1"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_ALG84_588_381.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London]]|width="600pt"| purpose 'pocket''England, London''':Current Location- London Museum ALG84[588]381:Type- Wheeler III/II 1000-1100AD:Find Date- ? :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: 247mm :Comments- :Bibliography- [[http://collectionsknife.museumoflondon.org.uk/Online/object.aspx?objectID=object-146014&rows=1&start=0 Museum The blunt reverse edge of London]] |- valign="top" id="BL2"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_1856_Honey_Lane.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London 1856]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Honey Lane''':Current Location- British Museum 1856,7-1,1413:Type- Wheeler IV 978-1016AD:Find Date- 1856 :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: 327mm :Comments- :Bibliography- [WILSON 1965:Cat.43] |- valign="top" id="BL3"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_1879_Park_Street.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London 1879]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Park Street''':Current Location- British Museum 1879,12-22.1:Type- 800-1000AD:Find Date- :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: 266mm :Comments- :Bibliography- [WILSON 1965:Cat.81] |- valign="top" id="BL4"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_Princes_Street.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London Princes St]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Princes Street''':Current Location- London Museum 29.94,17 (Wheeler no.21):Type- 900-1000AD:Find Date- :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: ? :Comments- :Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.] |- valign="top" id="BL5"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_1859_Thames.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London 1859]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London,Thames''':Current Location- British Museum 1859,1-22.12:Type- 800-1000AD:Find Date- :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: 232mm :Comments- :Bibliography- [WILSON 1965:Cat.50] |- valign="top" id="BL6"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_A1781.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London A1781]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Thames''':Current Location- London Museum A1781 (Wheeler no.25):Type- 900-1100AD:Find Date- :Size- Blade Length: 247mm; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: 334mm :Comments- :Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.] |- valign="top" id="BL7"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_A9313.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London A9313]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Thames at Blackfriars''':Current Location- London Museum A9313 (Wheeler no.8):Type- 800-1000AD:Find Date- :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: ? :Comments- :Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.] |- valign="top" id="BL8"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_A10721.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London A10721]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Thames at Brentford''':Current Location- London Museum A10721 (Wheeler no.11):Type- 700-900AD:Find Date- :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: ? :Comments- :Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.] |- valign="top" id="BL9"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_A13935.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London A13935]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Thames at Brentford''':Current Location- London Museum A13935 (Wheeler no.22):Type- 900-1100AD:Find Date- :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: ? :Comments- :Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.] |- valign="top" id="BL10"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_O2136.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London O2136]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Thames at Brentford''':Current Location- London Museum O2136:Type- 500-700AD:Find Date- :Size- Blade Length: 181mm; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: ? :Comments- :Bibliography- [MUSEUM OF LONDON] |- valign="top" id="BL11"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_A24399.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London A24399]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Thames at Fulham''':Current Location- London Museum A24399 (Wheeler no.18):Type- Wheeler IV 900-1000AD:Find Date- :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: ? :Comments- :Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.] |- valign="top" id="BL12"|width="100pt"| [[File:seax_London_A24909.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London A24909]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Thames at Fulham''':Current Location- London Museum A24909 (Wheeler no.17):Type- Wheeler III/II 900-1100AD:Find Date- :Size- Blade Length: ?; Blade Width: ?; Blade Thickness: ?; Total Length: ? :Comments- :Bibliography- [WHEELER 1935:p.] * England, London. One find from cheapside the seax could have had be used as a blade of 25cm. [CAMERON 2000: p.64-65] |} <br>==English style Seax Sheathes (C9th hammer to C11th)== [[File:Seax Sheaths.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Seax Sheaths]]Seax sheaths are made from substantial leather up break bones to 3mm thick and closed by rivets about 4 to 5cm apartextract the marrow, or even hammered through materials via it's blunt back as a sharp wedge. In England there are 12 finds of Seax sheaths out of It also gives a total lot of 61 [CAMERON 2000: pstrength to the whole knife.64-65]<br> {||- valign="top" idSee also="O1"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_Aachen.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Aachen]]{{Regia Accessories}}|width="600pt"| '''Germany, Aachen''':Current Location- Aachen Cathedral Treasury (Okasha 1992 cat.1):Type- ? :Find Date- before 1860:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: 470mm ; Total Width: ?:Comments- Contains a name in Old English:Bibliography- [OKASHA 1992:p.64 cat.1 pl.IV] |- valign="top" id="T5918"|width="100pt"| [[FileCategory:sheath_Trondheim_T5919.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Trondheim_T5918Regia]]|width="600pt"| '''Norway, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag ''':Current Location- ? (Okasha 1992 cat.12):Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: ? ; Total Width: ?:Comments- Contains a name in Old English:Bibliography- [OKASHA 1992:p.64 cat.12 pl.V] |- valign="top" id="T5919"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_Trondheim_T5919.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Trondheim_T5919]]|width="600pt"| '''Norway, Trondheim, Sor-Trondelag ''':Current Location- ? (Okasha 1992 cat.13):Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: ? ; Total Width: ?:Comments- Contains a name in Old English:Bibliography- [OKASHA 1992:p.64 cat.13 pl.V] |- valign="top" id="C.DLS4"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_Dublin_DLS4.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Dublin DLS4]]|width="600pt"| '''Ireland, Dublin, Christchurch Place''':Current Location- ? (Cameron 2007 cat.DLS 4) :Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: 367mm ; Total Width: ?:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2007:p.] |- valign="top" id="C.DLS5"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_Dublin_DLS5.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Dublin DLS5]]|width="600pt"| '''Ireland, Dublin, Christchurch Place''':Current Location- ?, E122:12660 (Cameron 2007 cat.DLS 5) (Okasha 1992 cat.2):Type- ? 1050-1075AD:Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: 295mm ; Total Width: ?:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2007:p.] [OKASHA 1992:p.64 cat.2] |- valign="top" id="C.DLS11"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_Dublin_DLS11.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Dublin DLS11]]|width="600pt"| '''Ireland, Dublin, Fishamble Street''':Current Location- ? (Cameron 2007 cat.DLS 11):Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: 405mm ; Total Width: ?:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2007:p.] |- valign="top" id="C.349"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_Gloucester_sf.65.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Gloucester 349]]|width="600pt"| '''England, Gloucester, 11-17 Southgate Street''':Current Location- Gloucester City Museum, GLRCM 85/1968 sf.65 (Cameron 2000 cat.349) (Okasha 1992 cat.3):Type- ? :Find Date- 1968:Size- Blade Length: 170mm ; Total Length: 190mm ; Total Width: 68mm:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2000:p.] [OKASHA 1992:p.64 cat.3] |- valign="top" id="C.350"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_Gloucester_sf.7.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Gloucester 350]]|width="600pt"| '''England, Gloucester, Berkeley Street''':Current Location- Gloucester City Museum, GLRCM 19/79 sf.7 (Cameron 2000 cat.350) (Okasha 1992 cat.4):Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: 200mm ; Total Length: 415mm ; Total Width: 70mm:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2000:p.] [OKASHA 1992:p.64 cat.4] |- valign="top" id="C.114"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_Hexham.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=Hexham 114]]|width="600pt"| '''England, Hexham''':Current Location- Hexham (Cameron 2000 cat.114) (Okasha 1992 cat.5):Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ? ; Total Length: 100mm ; Total Width: ?:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2000:p.] [OKASHA 1992:p.64 cat.5] *York 115*York 214*York 215 |- valign="top" id="C.205"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_York_sf.754.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=York sf.754]]|width="600pt"| '''England, York, Parliament Street''':Current Location- ? sf.754 (Cameron 2000 cat.205):Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: ? ; Total Width: ?:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2000:p.112] |- valign="top" id="C.206"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_York_Coppergate.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=York Coppergate]]|width="600pt"| '''England, York, Coppergate''':Current Location- ? (Cameron 2000 cat.206):Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: ? ; Total Width: ?:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2000:p.] |- valign="top" id="C.207"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_York_sf.753.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=York sf.753]]|width="600pt"| '''England, York, Parliament Street''':Current Location- ? sf.753 (Cameron 2000 cat.207):Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: ? ; Total Width: ?:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2000:p.113] |- valign="top" id="C.347"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_York_sf.4332.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=York sf.4332]]|width="600pt"| '''England, York''':Current Location- ? sf.4332 (Cameron 2000 cat.347):Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: ? ; Total Width: ?:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2000:p.135] |- valign="top" id="C.144"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_London_Trump_Street.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London Trump Street]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Trump Street''':Current Location- Museum of London, MOL ? (Cameron 2000 cat.144):Type- ? :Find Date- ?:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: ? ; Total Width: ?:Comments- :Bibliography- [CAMERON 2000:p.] |- valign="top" id="C.145"|width="100pt"| [[File:sheath_London_Cheapside.jpg|thumb|130x150px|left|alt=London Cheapside]]|width="600pt"| '''England, London, Cheapside''':Current Location- Museum of London, MOL 11674 (Cameron 2000 cat.145) (Okasha 1992 cat.6):Type- ? :Find Date- 1927:Size- Blade Length: ?; Total Length: 390mm ; Total Width: ?:Comments- :Bibliography- [VINCE 1991] [CAMERON 2000:p.208] [OKASHA 1992:cat.6] |} <br>===A few Seax Sheathes from the C8th=== * Dover, Buckland, grave 145, leather sheath dated to 700-750AD* London, River Thames nr. Westminster Bridge, metal fittings, late C8th