Sword
14th century
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The first swords to appear in Poland came from Scandinavia in the 9th century, and the Polish word for sword - miecz – originates from the Gothic word meki for a double-edged weapon. Initially, one-handed swords were mainly used, and it was not until the 8th century that longswords and eventually two-handed swords came into wider use as the length of the hilt was extended. Over time, the sword became a symbol of power and justice, often it was given a name and during the funeral of the last male descendant, the sword was intentionally broken.