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44PG302/EU2117 F-430 S-2 Sword Guard 1036

Shell Guard (mid-17th century): Present only on the outboard side, this guard would have been mounted on an English hanger, a short sword used by infantrymen to supplement their muskets for close fighting.

Fragments of these guards are commonly found on 17th-century Virginia sites.  This one comes from Jordan’s Journey near Hopewell in Prince George County.

Updated April 11, 2018