Science

Ornate sword wielded by a 90-year-old warlord brought back to life


Ornate sword wielded by a 90-year-old Muslim warlord who died fighting in battle in Spain in 1483 is brought back to life in a stunning 3D digital replica

  • The sword was used by a 90-year-old warrior known as Ali Atar who fought til his death at in 1483
  • He was attacking the city of Lucena – now the city of Cordoba – with King Boabdil, last sultan of Granada
  • The King was captured by the victors and his elderly colleague, also his father-in-law, died in battle 
  • It is made of precious metals, gold and ivory and was preserved by the Christian community and now resides in a Spanish museum

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A spectacular sword once wielded by a ferocious warlord has been brought to life in a stunning 3D digital rece. 

The ornate weapon was used by a 90-year-old Hispano-Muslim warrior, known as Ali Atar, who fought til his death at the Battle of Lucena in 1483. 

He was trying to conquer the Christian city – now the Spanish city of Cordoba – with his son-in-law, King Boabdil, the last sultan of Granada.

The King was captured and the elderly warlord died in battle, with the victors prying his magnificent sword from his loosening grasp. 

Made of steel and embossed with gold, precious metals and ivory, the deadly weapon is a spectacular example of blacksmithing during the 15th-century.  

Made of steel and embossed with gold, precious metals and ivory, the deadly weapon is a spectacular example of blacksmithing during the 15th-century. The ornate weapon was used by a 90-year-old Hispano-Muslim warrior known as Ali Atar who died when trying to capture the Christian city of Lucena in 1483 - modern-day Cordoba

Made of steel and embossed with gold, precious metals and ivory, the deadly weapon is a spectacular example of blacksmithing during the 15th-century. The ornate weapon was used by a 90-year-old Hispano-Muslim warrior known as Ali Atar who died when trying to capture the Christian city of Lucena in 1483 – modern-day Cordoba 

The sword was preserved by the Christian community in the Iberian state and was passed down the generations, and now resides in the Toledo Army Museum. 

Ali Atar’s sword has a knob in the shape of a bulbous dome, an ivory fist carved with elaborate drawings and Arabic letters, and a golden arriax (sword grip) topped with animal-like figures. 

Researchers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia and a firm from Toledo, Ingheritag3D, have now modelled it in 360° in order to graphically document and present it on the web. 

Detailed images were taken from all angles using a technique called photogrammetry.

These were then overlapped and stitched together using sophisticated computer software. 

The King was captured and the elderly warlord died in battle, with the victors prying his magnificent sword from his loosening grasp. The spectacular sword has now been brought to life in a stunning 3D digitisation (pictured) and resides in the Toledo Army Museum

The King was captured and the elderly warlord died in battle, with the victors prying his magnificent sword from his loosening grasp. The spectacular sword has now been brought to life in a stunning 3D digitisation (pictured) and resides in the Toledo Army Museum

Images and drawings of the sword's opulent grip (pictured) were combine with the sword to give users the most detailed view of the entire weapon as possible. Detailed images were taken from all angles using a technique called photogrammetry. These were then overlapped and stitched together using sophisticated computer software

Images and drawings of the sword’s opulent grip (pictured) were combine with the sword to give users the most detailed view of the entire weapon as possible. Detailed images were taken from all angles using a technique called photogrammetry. These were then overlapped and stitched together using sophisticated computer software

The elderly warlord was trying to conquer the Christian city - now the Spanish city of Cordoba - with his son-in-law, King Boabdil, the last sultan of Granada (artist's impression, pictured). The King was captured by the victors and Ali Atar died in battle

The elderly warlord was trying to conquer the Christian city – now the Spanish city of Cordoba – with his son-in-law, King Boabdil, the last sultan of Granada (artist’s impression, pictured). The King was captured by the victors and Ali Atar died in battle

Images and drawings of the sword’s opulent grip were combine with the sword to give users the most detailed view of the entire weapon as possible. 

‘These techniques offer the possibility of valuing relevant pieces inside and outside museums, since three-dimensional modelling is prepared both for specialists -who can manipulate the piece virtually-, and for being shared publicly and interactively through the Internet,’ says engineer Margot Gil-Melitón, co-author of the work.   

The other author of the study, Professor José Luis Lerma of the Polytechnic University of Valencia, concludes: ‘A resource as valuable as cultural heritage can no longer be satisfied with physical conservation: it must be complemented by exhaustive digital preservation in all its forms, which facilitates the investigation of the pieces, their correct safeguarding and dissemination of knowledge to the general public.’ 





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