Secrets of the Dead

Discovery and development of Bronze Age Swords

Clip: Season 16 Episode 1 | 3m 6s | Video has closed captioning.

Swords first appeared during the Bronze Age. But scholars aren't sure whether they were a prestige item — made for show — or designed primarily to kill. Swords developed on human beings over hundreds of years. Neil Burridge, one of the few people replicating Bronze Age swords using authentic techniques, goes over the authentic bronze sword making process.