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Description
The Sword based counterpart to my previous post on Helmet Evolution .

First Civilization: The First Civilization developed it's first swords from bronze spearheads, extending the length of the blade and replacing the long handle with a short one handed one. These weapons were mostly used for slashing and were usually reserved for use by nobility. These weapons caught on fairly quickly and despite their fairly crude nature they could be effective on the battlefield.

First Western Civilization: Examination of grave goods and art reveals that local variations in sword design began to emerge towards the last couple of centuries. The more notable of which was the creation of swords by casting a single piece of bronze and forging it's edges sharp. This yielded a blade which was more durable than those used by the First Civilization, though somewhat more expensive. As time went on the shape of swords was adjusted to include crossguards. Towards the latter years, Ironworking became more practical, though this led to a fairly radical shift. During C1 and the first two thirds of WC1, iron swords (often made from meteoric iron) were occasionally made but were mostly ceremonial due to their rarity and expense. During the last centuries of WC1 Iron Swords became vulgar. While iron swords did become cheaper to make, they were seen by the warrior elites as being inferior to bronze weapons. This attitude is notably expressed in the Epic of Tanivarn, in which his initial humble station is indicated in part by the fact that he has a blade of Iron. These iron swords had triangular blades riveted to wooden handles.

First Eastern Civilization: Outside of the adoption of Bronzeworking, the swords of the First Eastern civilization emerged on lines largely separate to those of the First Civilization. The swords of the First Eastern civilization were elongated knives and single edged. Early examples were riveted to their handles, though this would eventually fade away to single piece weapons. Swords were exclusively the domain of the warrior caste. Non warriors could not own such weapons and their use by non warriors was punishable by death.

First Eastern Dark Age: Even though the prohibition against non warrior use of swords faded when the EC1 collapsed, swords became less common as copper and tin trade was stalled. They had something of a rebound once iron working emerged, though still remained fairly rare. These swords were still largely like those of EC1, but increasingly double blades became common, even if one side would have a more prominent blade.

Second Western Civilization: The rise of the Second Western Civilization ended the bronze age in the west fairly decisively. Bronze swords quickly fell out of favor when compared to cheaper and more refined iron swords. The triangular shape of earlier iron swords gave way to a "strong and weak" configuration for it's blade, while the blade would continuously taper from the hilt, the point would taper more sharply. This configuration increased durability. As heavy cavalry played an increasingly significant role in the wars fought by the various states of WC2, these swords would increase in length, but would largely remain one handed weapons. In addition, from daggers would emerge a family of leaf shaped shortswords commonly used by men at arms.

Second Eastern Civilization: The Plutocrats of the Second Eastern Civilization adjusted their sword designs. Heavy single handed curved swords used for slashing remaind popular throughout the the history of EC2, but were in time suplemented with straight edge double handed greatswords intended to both fend off cavalry and as devastating weapons for shock infantry. In the latter half of EC2 a family of lightweight straight edged single bladed slicing swords were adopted, largely by the peasant infantry.

Description
The Sword based counterpart to my previous post on Helmet Evolution .

First Civilization: The First Civilization developed it's first swords from bronze spearheads, extending the length of the blade and replacing the long handle with a short one handed one. These weapons were mostly used for slashing and were usually reserved for use by nobility. These weapons caught on fairly quickly and despite their fairly crude nature they could be effective on the battlefield.

First Western Civilization: Examination of grave goods and art reveals that local variations in sword design began to emerge towards the last couple of centuries. The more notable of which was the creation of swords by casting a single piece of bronze and forging it's edges sharp. This yielded a blade which was more durable than those used by the First Civilization, though somewhat more expensive. As time went on the shape of swords was adjusted to include crossguards. Towards the latter years, Ironworking became more practical, though this led to a fairly radical shift. During C1 and the first two thirds of WC1, iron swords (often made from meteoric iron) were occasionally made but were mostly ceremonial due to their rarity and expense. During the last centuries of WC1 Iron Swords became vulgar. While iron swords did become cheaper to make, they were seen by the warrior elites as being inferior to bronze weapons. This attitude is notably expressed in the Epic of Tanivarn, in which his initial humble station is indicated in part by the fact that he has a blade of Iron. These iron swords had triangular blades riveted to wooden handles.

First Eastern Civilization: Outside of the adoption of Bronzeworking, the swords of the First Eastern civilization emerged on lines largely separate to those of the First Civilization. The swords of the First Eastern civilization were elongated knives and single edged. Early examples were riveted to their handles, though this would eventually fade away to single piece weapons. Swords were exclusively the domain of the warrior caste. Non warriors could not own such weapons and their use by non warriors was punishable by death.

First Eastern Dark Age: Even though the prohibition against non warrior use of swords faded when the EC1 collapsed, swords became less common as copper and tin trade was stalled. They had something of a rebound once iron working emerged, though still remained fairly rare. These swords were still largely like those of EC1, but increasingly double blades became common, even if one side would have a more prominent blade.

Second Western Civilization: The rise of the Second Western Civilization ended the bronze age in the west fairly decisively. Bronze swords quickly fell out of favor when compared to cheaper and more refined iron swords. The triangular shape of earlier iron swords gave way to a "strong and weak" configuration for it's blade, while the blade would continuously taper from the hilt, the point would taper more sharply. This configuration increased durability. As heavy cavalry played an increasingly significant role in the wars fought by the various states of WC2, these swords would increase in length, but would largely remain one handed weapons. In addition, from daggers would emerge a family of leaf shaped shortswords commonly used by men at arms.

Second Eastern Civilization: The Plutocrats of the Second Eastern Civilization adjusted their sword designs. Heavy single handed curved swords used for slashing remaind popular throughout the the history of EC2, but were in time suplemented with straight edge double handed greatswords intended to both fend off cavalry and as devastating weapons for shock infantry. In the latter half of EC2 a family of lightweight straight edged single bladed slicing swords were adopted, largely by the peasant infantry.