CELTIC SCOTTISH CLAYMORE MEN’S LS T-SHIRT

Description The Claymore – the defender of the Gael. The two-handed sword of legend entwines with thistle, shamrock and oak in a tribute to the bravest hearts of Gaelic history. Large front print with two sleeve prints depicting Celtic Knots, Foliage, and Stag Head symbols. A claymore from Sottish Gaelic claidheamh-mòr, “great sword”) is the Scottish variant of the late medieval two-handed longsword. It is characterised as having a cross hilt of forward-sloping quillons with quatrefoil terminations. It was in use from the 15th to 17th centuries. Although Claymores existed as far back as the Wars of Scottish Independence they were smaller and few had the typical quatrefoil design. The last known battle in which it is considered to have been used in a significant number was the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. It was somewhat longer than other two-handed swords of the era. The two-handed claymore seems to be an offshoot of Early Scottish medieval longswords which had developed a distinctive style of a cross-hilt with forward-angled arms that ended in spatulate swellings. The lobed pommels on earlier swords were inspired by the Viking style. The spatulate swellings were later frequently made in a quatrefoil design. The average claymore ran about 140 cm (55 in) in overall length, with a 33 cm (13 in) grip, 107 cm (42 in) blade, and a weight of approximately 5.5 lb (2.5 kg). For instance, in 1772 Thomas Pennant described a sword seen on his visit to Raasay as: “an unwieldy weapon, two inches broad, doubly edged; the length of the blade three feet seven inches; of the handle, fourteen inches; of a plain transverse guard, one foot; the weight six pounds and a half.” Fairly uniform in style, the sword was set with a wheel pommel often capped by a crescent-shaped nut and a guard with straight, forward-sloping arms ending in quatrefoils, and langets running down the centre of the blade from the guard. In later years (18th century onwards) the word claymore began to be used in Scotland and parts of England to refer to basket hilted swords. While this description was probably not used during the 17th century when basket hilted swords were the primary military swords across Europe but over time the large, heavy, broad bladed swords remained in service with Scottish regiments. After the Acts of Union in 1707 when Scottish and English regiments were integrated together the swords were seen as a mark of distinction by Scottish officers over the more slender sabres used by their English contemporaries. As a broad, heavy weapon the swords were seen as a symbol of physical strength and prowess, and a link to the historic Highland way of life. Although these swords were no longer recognizable as the historical claymore they were the broadsword of that era and so were referred to using that same word. Such swords remained in service with Scottish regiments into the 19th century. Artist: Maxine Miller ©celticjackalope.com Like this:Like Loading...