SEM Analysis Shows that Fake Hercules Swords 3 and 4 are Modern Brass

1/10/2017

My field school starts this Friday, so I've been spending most of my time lately getting things ready: assembling equipment, building screens, finalizing forms, and learning to use the department's total station. I'll be moving equipment and shooting in some datum points tomorrow. We'll begin on Friday by clearing trees and brush from the excavation area and laying out the first units.

I wanted to take moment to report that Dr. Christa Brosseau at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has now analyzed the metal composition of the California sword (Sword 3) and the Italian eBay sword (Sword 4). Followers of Swordgate will remember Brosseau from her role in the epic debunking of the "Roman sword from Nova Scotia (Sword 1 in the Fake Hercules Sword database). I mailed Brosseau the samples that I obtained from the California sword, and Trevor Furlotte and Kel Hancock visited Saint Mary's with the Italian eBay sword to watch samples from both the swords being tested.

Christa Brosseau removes a sample from the blade of the Italian eBay sword (Sword 4) (image courtesy of Kel Hancock).

Without divulging all the particulars (Brosseau and I are contemplating writing a paper together), I'll just say that both newly-tested swords are made of modern brass. Interestingly, analysis showed that the three swords have statistically different compositions (though all are broadly similar). The composition of patinas on the Nova Scotia and Italian eBay swords, both "J" types in our classification, were similar.

Slide showing magnified images of the samples analyzed and graphs of the metal composition (image courtesy of Christa Brosseau).

I would love to get more of these swords analyzed. With a larger sample of quantitative metal composition data, it could be theoretically possible to identify particular "batches" of swords that share both comopositional and morphometric characteristics.

19 Comments

peter kirchmeir

1/10/2017 03:13:22 pm

Can't wait to read the paper...

Graham

1/11/2017 01:13:23 am

Same here, this should make for a very interesting and possibly damning read.

GEE

1/10/2017 03:16:02 pm

By chance did we ask her how these two swords compare to the first one from the show? Did they have the same weight? Did she do the same testing as the OI sword? Any info of the comparisons of all swords she has seen would be great. Great job Kel and Trevor.

Peter Geuzen

1/10/2017 05:03:26 pm

Happy to have mine tested anytime.

Andy White

1/10/2017 06:37:57 pm

Let's make it happen.

KILL BILL

1/10/2017 09:21:26 pm

Andy,

What are you trying to prove here? You are on a fruitless search to find nothing important and just make a big distraction. All these swords are modern replicas. Not sure what you are trying to learn here. The only alleged original swords is the Oak Island sword by Hutton, the sister Naples sword (which Hutton mentions and other party) and the Florida sword owned by David Kenney that you seem to want to ignore. Why don't you test that sword and tell us what its about. Why don't you work with us to track down the Naples sword that provided the casting for all these replicas. Its funny you want to write a white paper now, maybe you see this as your ticket to claim your fame in the spot light, whatever crap that is. Its apparent you are just trying to grasp for straws here...

Only Me

1/10/2017 10:01:08 pm

"You are on a fruitless search to find nothing important and just make a big distraction."

I could say the same for you, Bill.

"The only alleged original swords is the Oak Island sword by Hutton, the sister Naples sword (which Hutton mentions and other party) and the Florida sword owned by David Kenney that you seem to want to ignore."

1) Hutton's sword was tested and found to be a modern replica.
2) Where is the alleged Naples sword?
3) What indication is there that Kenney's sword is "original"? Even Kenney himself doesn't make that claim.

"Why don't you test that sword and tell us what its about."

Why don't YOU use your alleged vast connections and resources to convince Kenney to have his sword submitted to testing?

"Why don't you work with us to track down the Naples sword that provided the casting for all these replicas."

First, you have to provide more than hearsay that sword actually existed. Secondly, how do you know it was the model for the replicas?

"Its funny you want to write a white paper now, maybe you see this as your ticket to claim your fame in the spot light, whatever crap that is."

So, it's perfectly legit when Hutton does it, but you question Andy for doing the same thing? Double standard much?

"Its apparent you are just trying to grasp for straws here... "

Another thing I could say the same about you, Bill.

Andy White

1/11/2017 03:57:22 am

Hi "Bill,"

I thought you had moved on from our fruitless adventure here.

What could it possible mean when the replica swords have essentially the same metallic composition as the purported "authentic" sword? Where these other swords also made by the Emperor Commodus from a mine in Germany before ending up in various yard sales around the world? Or perhaps there is no "authentic" sword . . . THey're all modern.

Also, it's not be a "white paper" when it's a published paper. It will just be what's called a "paper." We would write it and then publish it somewhere. It's what scientists do.

Pablo

1/11/2017 04:07:13 am

Are you the same Bill that was going to provide a photo of that supposed sister sword in the Naples Museum?

Andy White

1/11/2017 04:11:45 am

That does sound familiar. I think we were told it was easy to do, that it would be done, and then to go look into it ourselves. I guess it wasn't so easy. Like getting a clear picture of Bigfoot.

Bob Jase

1/11/2017 12:10:06 pm

Don't forget to have Melba Ketchem swab the "original" sword hilt and test it for sasquatch dna too.

Mark L

1/12/2017 05:11:56 am

Please provide any evidence at all that the Naples sword existed, KILL BILL.

Peter Geuzen

1/11/2017 07:08:15 am

From the database perspective, in Type J, remember that matching anomalies have already been determined so add to that the matching metallurgy and the expression '100% Confirmed' comes to mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8drCimSw3g

Michael C.

1/11/2017 05:28:53 pm

As usual, I'm late to the party.
Well, maybe not too late this time.

I tried researching my particular sword during the infancy of the internet, but I found nothing, and I gave up.
I guess the 'net just needed a little more time to warm up.
At the time, there was NOTHING available on a hercules-hilted sword.
My "paperweight" has been sitting on my desk for a number of years. And, indeed, was in a box in the basement for about 5 years before that. We picked it up in a yard sale for about $10 (CAN).
Which is like $5 bucks (US). *joke joke*

Imagine my surprise when i do a search at Christmas time and find pictures of my sword all over the place.
Hey there's one with John Travolta holding it!
(I never lent my sword to John?!)
funny stuff.
As per our conversation, I believe Andy has entered it as #20, and should recognize it easily as a J-Type.

and no, I never assumed it was a bronze-age-mystical-blade forged by Zeus. I tried holding it aloft, once, and uttering "by the Power of Grey Skull!"

Nothing.

I'm lucky, but not THAT lucky.

Peter Geuzen

1/11/2017 07:39:36 pm

Thumbs Up! Welcome to the madness.

Michael C.

1/12/2017 03:37:48 pm

Thanks Peter!
Pleasure to meet you folks.
Madness indeed.

Uncle Ron

1/12/2017 05:51:50 am

"Interestingly, analysis showed that the three swords have statistically different compositions (though all are broadly similar)."

Exactly what one would expect if the foundry periodically scrounged around for scrapped brass junk to make a new batch.

Bob Jase

1/13/2017 12:29:04 pm

Only a truly advanced civilization could have produced modern brass ten thousand years ago!

Jim

1/13/2017 12:51:20 pm

Remember that day it rained for a week ?

SEM Analysis Shows that Fake Hercules Swords 3 and 4 are Modern Brass

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