The Atlantean sword was one of the notable swords used in the fighting scenes of Conan the Barbarian.
The Atlantean sword was designed in such a characteristic manner that distinguishes it from the regular swords out there.
By standard, swords are known to be between 18-31 inches long, but the Atlantean sword used by Conan The Barbarian sets a different mark with its approximately 37 inches length (the blade takes up about 28 inches of the full length). The length was just about the same length of the Father’s sword too – the blade is about 29 inches long and 4 inches wide.
The Atlantean sword weighed about 8.5 pounds, which was quite unusual for swords; because swords are made to be lighter to make it easier to be wielded when the occasion calls for it. It comes as no surprise that it was well handled by Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) given his amazing strength.
The sword was made by Mr. Jody Samson in collaboration with Tim Huchthausen to its finest detail, giving it such a distinct look as you would expect from a masterpiece. There are runic hieroglyphs etched on the blade, but when Mr. Jody was asked about the meaning, he answered that they were just a meaningless string of words.
If you want to buy the sword for yourself, you can get it here on Amazon.
The History of The Atlantean Sword
The Atlantean sword wielded by Conan the Barbarian in most fighting scenes initially belonged to an ancient king, which as honor was buried in a tomb. Conan happened upon the sword by chance when he was chased by a pack of wolves and he entered the tomb for shelter.
Conan found the sword in the tomb holding up the skeleton on the throne, which he eventually used to slay the pack of wolves that were chasing him. There are even many arguments and discussions surrounding this film and about the significance of those scenes. Many fans have their own individual interpretations and thoughts about the scene.
Where was the Atlantean Sword Forged?
According to the film, there is no information highlighting where the sword wielded by Conan the Barbarian was forged. On the other hand, the details available are as regards how the conditions with which it was made to form.
The sword was hand forged from 1085 high carbon steel and tempered to 52 HRC for strength, which has been recreated by different sword makers out there and sold on a couple of e-commerce websites. It comes as no surprise why it was that strong.
Iconic Fighting Scene where Conan the Barbarian Used His Atlantean Sword
Conan’s entire lifetime was practically an adventure to solve a Crom’s riddle his father, Nial, thought him when he was just a boy. The riddle had multifaceted meanings, however, his father interpreted it to be: that you cannot trust man nor woman nor beast; the only sword you can trust.
It didn’t take that long for him to have a change of perception after he saw his mother murdered brutally by Thulsa using the same sword that the mother had forged. That was a pivotal moment that set a different compass to his life and gave it a different meaning.
After that scene, his enter life purpose was seeking revenge for his mother’s death and the calamity effected on his clan. His eyes were only on one goal: killing Thulsa and making him suffer what he suffered during his childhood having faced his whole clan wiped out under the command of one man.
Conan finally got a chance to kill Thulsa on the mountain, but this was after crossing different hurdles in the course of his life. In his pursuit to do away with one man, he was captured by the same man and crucified. However, he was resurrected back to life because of the blood sacrifice, his partner, Valeria, performed.
The final fighting scene on the mountain was pretty much intense and iconic. It resulted in Thulsa getting his head slain and chopped off by the Atlantean sword. One thing that made the scene iconic was the question Thulsa asked him before Conan the Barbarian beheaded him; which was: “where would Conan be if Thulsa had not attacked the village?”
Many agree that the seemingly rhetorical question was in every way apt because the event that led to his mother’s death and brutal elimination of his entire clan defined the course of his life. Also, he eventually came about a different meaning to the riddle.
It would suffice to add that the sword was also used to slay the pack of wolves that were attacking Conan the Barbarian, which actually led to him discovering it in the first place. The scene was a delight to watch.
Conan the Barbarian’s Fighting Style with The Atlantean Sword
Conan was captured by Thulsa’s forces when he was just a boy after his clan was brutally eliminated. He spent years as a slave under Thulsa where he and his co-slaves were subjected to inhumane conditions that led to the deaths of a whole lot of the slaves alongside.
Eventually, Conan was sold to Toghrul, a Hyrkanian Pit Fighter Master and it comes as no surprise this is where he adapted the fighting styles that he adopted in the film.
He got to escape from the captivity of Toghrul when the great earthquake happened and caused an upheaval. The fighting styles he learned during his time with Toghrul came in handy when he finally came face to face with Thulsa on the mountain.
There is no questioning that the Atlantean sword is a masterpiece carved under the rigorous conditions to come about its strength and deadliness. Its overall design on the other hand showed a great deal that it was destined to be wielded by a God and Conan the Barbarian did a spectacular job at that.
Replicas of the Atlantean swords used by Conan the Barbarian are available on e-commerce websites like Amazon and other merchants. The price ranges between 150 – 300 dollars depending on the quality and detail.