Musings about the historical authenticity of the weapons, clothing, furniture and so

Mi-Shell

Hi everyone!
A couple of days ago I got a PM from a participant in this study group about the historical authenticity of the swords on the cards...
It read in part:
Where will I find information about the hilts/pummels of the swords? and I would like to know more about the plants as pertaining to Druids. I use Scott Cunningham's magical herb book but only on the plants I can identify.
............

So I did some digging in those books of mine and thought I might as well post the results here.
I hope that is ok with the moderators - if not -toss the thread!

Swords:
Aside from the artistic license and creative impulses the deck creator had there are some pretty close matches found in archaeological diggs:

Short swords like the one the Queen of swords and Justice usually made from iron and had a bronze hilt with a triple ball design or an anthropomorphic figure = human-like or human-animal-like design sometimes with gold inlay.
the inlay of the one in the scan was a sun and a moon in gold.
The Saarburg sword has a human on the handle and some gold overlay.
On the 8 of swords and the 9 of swords we see one like it.
The Queen of swords has the short form.....
Then there is the design of the sword from the Kirkburn dig that we find in the ace of swords, the 4 of swords and the 8 of swords.....
And last but not least a scan from a hoard found in the Themse river and a drawing how the user would have looked.....
I am sure other interested parties will find more parallels!

As to the question about the plants..... any insights????
 

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Fulgour

Thanks Mi-Shell

Will Worthington's illustrations are so true to life
that I can determine time of day, and direction.
 

Horace

Yes!

Hi Mi-Shell

Thank you so much! This was the very sort of thing I wanted to know! I didn't know what to look at to find out and you spent a lot of time looking. I really appreciate it.
I laid out all the sword cards to see which hilt was added as the suit progressed. If they were the same as earlier on or new designs. I tried to figure out if there was a learning process symbolic in the design of the hilt. How many of the hilts in the 5 of Swords appear on the wall of thoughts in the 9 of swords, for example. I ended up with paralysis by analysis!LOL

Everything about this deck makes me want to know more about the lore behind it. I didn't know I even was interested in Druid or Celtic designs, but I got a woodburning kit for a present and think I'll make a box for the DruidCraft with sword hilts burned on the front. :) Thanks again Mi-Shell.... I'm off to research the herbal questions and I'll share what I find also. Hh