Types of swords

This is a list of types of swords.

The term sword is here used in a narrow sense. This is not a general list of bladed weapons and does not include the machete or similar "sword-like" weapons.

Early history

 * Bronze Age sword
 * Khopesh (Egyptian)
 * Iron Age sword
 * Xiphos (Greek term for the Iron Age sword)
 * Asi (Sanskrit term for the Iron Age sword)
 * Makhaira (Ancient Greek sabre)
 * Falcata/Kopis (swords with forward-curving blade)
 * Celtic sword
 * Acinaces (Persian short sword)
 * Harpe (Greek mythology)

Late Antiquity

 * Gladius
 * Spatha
 * Migration period sword

Middle Ages

 * Viking sword (early medieval spatha)
 * Khmali sword (Early medieval Georgian sword)
 * Arming sword (high medieval knightly sword)
 * Longsword (late medieval)
 * Estoc (thrust-oriented)
 * Two-handed claymore (late medieval Scottish)
 * Curtana (a medieval term for a ceremonial sword)
 * Sabina (a small sword used in daily life)

Renaissance and early modern
16th to 17th centuries
 * Espada ropera/spada da lato (early 16th century)
 * Zweihänder (16th-century German)
 * Flamberge (properly called Flammard)
 * Basket-hilted swords
 * Broadsword (16th-century English)
 * Schiavona (Italian basket-hilted sword)
 * Mortuary sword (17th-century cavalry basket-hilted sword)
 * Basket-hilted Claymore (17th to 18th-century Scottish)
 * Backsword (as a term for a specific weapon type, this refers to the swords of 16th to 17th-century English cavalry)
 * Katzbalger (16th-century German short sword)
 * Cinquedea/Anelace (Italian short sword)
 * Executioner's sword (16th-century swords designed for executions, especially in Germany)
 * Rapier (17th century development of the Spanish type)
 * Swiss sword (16th and 17th centuries)

Modern
18th and 19th centuries
 * Smallsword (18th century)
 * Colichemarde
 * Bilbo
 * Scottish Officer's Dirk
 * Sgian-dubh
 * Spadroon
 * Sabre (adopted in 18th century cavalry)
 * Karabela
 * Szabla
 * Shashka
 * Pistol sword (19th century novelty item)
 * Hunting sword
 * Modern fencing (sport equipment)
 * Épée
 * Foil (fencing)
 * U.S. regulation swords (sabres, and in some instances fascine knives shaped like short swords)

Near Eastern sword ("scimitar")
All of the Islamic world during the 16th to 18th century, including the Ottoman Empire, Persia and Mughal India, were influenced by the saif or "scimitar" type of single-edged curved sword. Via the Mameluke sword this also gave rise to the European cavalry sabre. Conversely, the term for the western sword in Arabic was firangi (i.e. "Frankish").

Terms for the "scimitar" curved sword:
 * Pulwar (Afghanistan)
 * Shamshir (Persia)
 * Talwar (North India)
 * Kilij (Turkish)
 * Mameluke sword (18th to 19th century Egyptian)
 * Flyssa (19th century Algeria)
 * Kaskara (19th century Sudan)
 * Nimcha (18th century Morocco)
 * Shotel (Ethiopian scimitar)
 * Takoba (Tuareg sword)

Far Eastern swords

 * China


 * Jian (剑 pinyin jiàn)
 * Baguajian (八卦劍)


 * Dao (刀 pinyin dāo) "sabre"
 * Baguadao (八卦刀)
 * Butterfly sword (蝴蝶雙刀)
 * Changdao (長刀)
 * Dadao (大刀)
 * Errenduo (二人奪)
 * Hudieshuangdao (蝴蝶雙刀)
 * Kaishandao (開山刀)
 * Liuyedao (柳針刀)
 * Mazhadao (麻扎刀)
 * Piandao (片刀)
 * Taijidao (太極刀)
 * Taijijian (太極剑)
 * Miao dao (苗刀)
 * Nandao (南刀)
 * Wodao (倭刀)
 * Xuehuadao (雪花刀)
 * Yanmaodao (雁翎刀)
 * Yutoudao (魚頭刀)
 * Zhanmadao (斬馬刀)


 * Hook sword (鉤)


 * Japan


 * Nihonto (日本刀)
 * Bokken (木剣)
 * Chisakatana
 * Chokutō (直刀)
 * Hachiwara（鉢割）
 * Iaitō (居合刀)
 * Jintachi
 * Katana (刀; かたな)
 * Kodachi (小太刀)
 * Nagamaki (長巻)
 * Nodachi (野太刀)
 * Ōdachi (大太刀)
 * Ōkatana
 * Shinai (竹刀)
 * Shinken (真剣)
 * Shikomizue
 * Tachi (太刀; たち)
 * Tsurugi
 * Wakizashi (脇差; わきざし)


 * Dōtanuki
 * Uchigatana


 * Korea


 * Hwandudaedo (환두대도; 环首大刀)
 * Saingeom (사인검)
 * Jedokgum (제독검)
 * Yedo (예도)
 * Ssangeom (쌍도; 双刀; 쌍검: 双剣)

South and Southeast Asia
While the scimitar also spread to North India in the form of the Talwar, there are is also an autochthonous sword of the straight form in India, known as the Khanda.


 * Pata (gauntlet-sword)
 * Kastane (Sri Lankan)

Swords and knives found in Southeast Asia are influenced by Indian, Far Eastern (Chinese) as well as Near Eastern (Muslim) and European (Spanish) forms.


 * Balisword: an exceptionally large balisong knife. Similar to a balisong, two hilts cover the blade of a balisword
 * Bolo: a large cutting tool of Filipino used in their revolutions
 * Buntot Pagi: Stingray tails used as a weapon of Filipino origin
 * Dahong Palay: a Filipino machete-like sword with capability for thrusting
 * Dha: single-edged Burmese sword, perhaps influenced by the Chinese Dao (For Thai : Daab)
 * Kalis: double-edged "wavy" Filipino sword, similar to the Kris dagger
 * Kampilan: large single-edged Filipino sword
 * Klewang: single-edged Indonesian sword similar to the Filipino Kampilan
 * Krabi: Thai sabre used in Krabi krabong
 * Pinuti: Filipino sword influenced by the West and used also as a farm tool