A sword is a long-edged piece of metal, used as a cutting and/or thrusting weapon in many civilizations throughout the world. The word sword comes from the Old English sweord, cognate to Old High German swert, Middle Dutch swaert, Old Norse sverð (cf.Danish sværd, Norwegian sverd, Swedish svärd) Old Frisian and Old Saxon swerd and Modern Dutch zwaard and German Schwert, from a Proto-Indo-European root *swer- "to wound, to hurt". A sword fundamentally consists of a blade, a hilt, and a pommel, typically with one or two edges for striking and cutting, and a point for thrusting. The basic intent and physics of swordsmanship have remained fairly constant through the centuries, but the actual techniques vary among cultures and periods as a result of the differences in blade design and purpose. The names given to many swords in mythology, literature, and history reflect the high prestige of the weapon

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	Lightning Swords of Death 11 x 17 Poster: 11 x 17 Movie Poster - Style A
	Title/Subject: Lightning Swords of Death 11 x 17 Poster: 11 x 17 Movie Poster - Style A Year: Year:1974

	12 X 18 Stretched Canvas Poster Asian Swords
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	12 X 18 Stretched Canvas Poster Forging a Sword
	This image is one a collection of vintage art, this excellent quality and durable Canvas Print measures 12 X 18 inches and arrives ready to hang on the wall with all necessary accessories already in place...

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Reviews It's been a decade since Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon first came out, and there have been dozens of copycat and other Chinese epic movies in the meantime, but this one is still the best. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is chock full of strong characters, beautiful music, and exciting fight scenes. Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh make an excellent pair as warriors who try to suppress their feelings. Moreover, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has a lot of heart. The movie doesn't have a lot of violence or special effects, but rather really focuses on the four main characters and their development. I'd go so far as to say that this is he best Chinese-language film so far. This is a great movie!!! The fight choreography is so fluid and looks so amazing. I especially liked that a lot of the fight scenes involved women characters. Most kung fu movies have men doing the fighting. The young girl in this movie sure knows how to handle a sword. But the storylines are what also makes this such an enjoyable movie. A bit of romance, some funny scenes, honor and goodness all come together to make this much more than a "regular" revenge-type kung-fu movie. Legendary martial artist Li Mu Bai is tracking the murderer of his master. The poised and self-assured Li can handle anything -- except his feelings for lithe, pantherish Yu Shu Lien. Jen Yu, the tremulous and spoiled daughter of the Province's governor, is also fascinated by Shu Lien's glamorous life: that a woman can have so many adventures and such freedom is marvelous to her. Though the refined Jen is soon to be married off into respectability, she harbors a sinister plan. By night she transforms into a masked and cunning thief, out to steal the Green Destiny, an invincible blade once wielded by Li. At the same time, Li embarks on his own quest to recover the missing sword, possibly the key to his master's murder. This movie is a bona fide masterpiece, as beautiful as it is dangerous. I hosted four middle school students for a night in a Mongolian style yurt that we built last spring. This movie was a big part of our evening's entertainment. The kids loved the movie. . . that is the parts they could truly hear. The colors are very dark through many sequences of the film, and the sound is low. But the movement is beautiful, and for the most part, it kept students entertained. It is a bit long, and the plot has a number of complex layers. For perhaps anyone who is less familiar with Asian culture, I would recommend it for ages 16+. a beautiful show piece of quality from China: scenery, music, acting, martial arts, and aerial movements. hongkong movie makers have much to learn from China's movie makers. Average Rating:

CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON-SPECIAL EDITION (DVD

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	Wilkinson Presentation Sword, Made in England
	Wilkinson Presentation Sword, Made in England

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Symbolism

The sword can symbolize warfare or violence in general, but also strength or virility (as a phallic symbol), and metaphorically intellect or reason.

Jesus' statement "for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." (παντες γαρ οι λαβοντες μαχαιραν εν μαχαιρα αποθανουνται; Matthew 26:52) is made in a literal context (Simon Peter drawing his sword against the soldiers in Gethsemane), but gives it an allegorical twist. Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword (υπερ πασαν μαχαιραν διστομον), piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart", the sword is an allegory for "keen" or "piercing" discernment.

In Arabic, saif "sword" also stands for warfare in general. Another example of this metaphorical significance comes in the adage The pen is mightier than the sword, attributed to Edward Bulwer-Lytton. In the moral anecdote about the tyrant Damocles, the sword suspended above a leader is a metaphor for the ever present danger that accompanies power.

Swords form a suit in Latin suited playing cards which include the Italian suited tarot decks (replaced by spades in the French deck of modern playing cards and in modern French suited Tarot or Tarock decks.) In divinatory tarot, the sword is often interpreted as representing air, as well as intelligence. In the Tarot deck the uninverted swords represent ill fortune with the Ten of Swords being the worst.

The sword often functions as a symbol of masculinity and particularly as a phallic symbol of virility.

Swords are also used as emblem or insignia (in or on formal dress such as uniforms, badges, various objects, even coats of arms), especially:

* as symbol of power, such as a Sword of State, Sword of Mercy, Curtana and Sword of Justice (all can be used as regalia, in England five in total during the coronation);
* as symbol of armed force, or of a corps entitled to use force as the strong arm of the law, as in military and police insignia, or of a unit (e.g. regiment) of such a corps - as these are numerous, inevitably many variations and combinations (two crossed swords, or with a laurel wreath, crown, national or founder/patron's emblem etcetera) are used.

Its symbolic meaning is also reflected in the existence of prestigious titles, linking people of valor to it, such as:

* Sword of Allah
* Sword of the State

Crossed swords have their own particular symbolism, and are in the Miscellaneous Symbols area of Unicode at U+2694 :

* On a map: a site of battle
* In genealogy or biography: signifying that a person was killed in action

It is also not unusual for swords to represent reason - as in "cutting through" a series of elements in a problem in order to leave only those with proven relevance, most famously of Alexander the Great cutting the Gordian Knot.

* Symbol for bravery for fighting a just cause; the sword of Lady Justice symbolizes the strict application of justice in a neutral manner involving legal decisions.