Sword Hilt from Santa Clara Shipwreck (1564)3D Model
A rapier hilt and partial blade recovered from the the Spanish galleon Santa Clara of 1564. A heavy marine concretion had formed around the piece while underwater, and X-rays of it showed that, inside, the original artifact had completely corroded. This piece was recovered in the laboratory by casting it of epoxy resin, using the concretion as a mold. The detail of the cast is remarkable; impressions of the fine, wrapped-wire grip have survived, and a faint “running wolf” mark can be seen at the end of the blade. The design of the hilt and the tear-drop, or onion-bulb, pommel are consistent with a mid to late 1500’s date. To see a photogrammetric model of what this rapier looked like when it was first discovered, go here: https://skfb.ly/GXwL
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