I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
Bronze Age Video Project, Medieval Sword Studies, BBB 24 Update
Fall for Swords: From Viking Shields to Bronze BladesHello fellow sword enthusiasts, Autumn has arrived, and the calendar is brimming with exciting events. The Ribe Bouts are now fully booked. I am delighted by the event’s popularity and look forward to welcoming Viking re-enactors from Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Finland at the wonderful Ribe VikingeCenter in just two weeks. Attendees will receive final information by email closer to the event. Only 4 Spots Left for BBB 24!Meanwhile, there are only four spots left for BBB 24. Buckler fighters from as far as Alaska will be joining us to practise historical martial arts and celebrate international friendship on the weekend of 22/23 November. If you’d like to take part, don’t delay—sign up now.
Sword Studies in BerlinI always take the opportunity to combine a trip to the Berlin Buckler Bouts with the study of medieval swords. Despite the importance and size of its arms collection, only very few swords are currently displayed at the Deutsches Historisches Museum. This makes the careful documentation of these artefacts all the more vital. I am grateful for the kind support of the museum staff—and for the generosity of my patrons, who make this ongoing work possible in the first place. On Patreon, I also share exclusive posts, images, and video. Soon I will continue my documentation of the making of the Bamberg Scabbard, which was crafted as a wedding gift from the Dimicator Schola to its founder, Cornelius Berthold. For the next two weeks only, you can still use the coupon code SUMMERWEDDING to get our dedicated I.33 sword-and-buckler online courses at a 15% discount. These courses, created together with Cornelius, are designed to pass on our knowledge of medieval swordplay.
Bronze Sword Video Project with Harald MellerIf you are interested in prehistory and archaeology, you will likely know Harald Meller, director of the Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte in Halle. The museum houses the world-famous Nebra Sky Disc amongst many other great finds. Meller is not only a best-selling author (I heartily recommend his latest book) and a leading archaeologist involved in numerous spectacular campaigns and exhibitions, but also an engaging video host. Now, he has invited me to collaborate on an extensive video on Bronze Age sword ergonomics for the museum’s award-winning video channel. I am very much looking forward to this project. Stay tuned for updates!Enjoy your sword autumn—and keep your blades honed and polished. If you enjoyed this newsletter, please recommend it to your friends. They can sign up here or on my website. Or simply forward them this email. Improve your skills with our sword-and-buckler online courses. If you wish to read more, find hundreds of related posts on my Patreon. Special thanks to all my loyal supporters on Patreon – you keep me going! And if you are not a patron yet, you are most welcome to join. If you feel like dropping a coin into my tip jar, you can do so here. Thank you for your time and your interest. Yours, Roland You are receiving this newsletter because you have signed up for it, or because you have previously expressed your interest in my work and events. If you prefer to not receive further emails, you can unsubscribe below. |
Dimicator
I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
Hello fellow history enthusiasts and blade aficionados, sometimes the most interesting discoveries come not from finding something new, but from looking again at familiar things. Here are a few recommendations and updates that I hope you will enjoy. A replica fishtail dagger which I recently got to play with in Harald Meller's office. A Stone Age Misconception? Some ideas become so widespread that they eventually start to feel self-evident. One such example concerns Late Neolithic fishtail...
History in Stone — And Steel Hello fellow history enthusiasts and sword lovers, living in rural Mecklenburg means being surrounded by traces of the past. Within only a few kilometres of where I live, one encounters Neolithic monuments, Bronze Age burial mounds, Iron Age cemeteries, Slavic settlement history, and medieval fieldstone churches. Much of this remarkable heritage remains little known beyond the region itself, despite its historical significance and enormous cultural potential....
Blades, Belief, and Hidden Design Documenting a 4000-year old dagger in Halle Hello fellow history enthusiasts and blade aficionados, two weeks ago, I returned from a research trip to Jena and Halle. During this excursion, I had the opportunity to examine and document a range of remarkable Bronze and Iron Age artefacts. I also met with Professor Harald Meller and Dr Jan-Heinrich Bunnefeld to discuss future research ventures — more on that in due course. For now, I invite you to explore my...