IRON TECHNOLOGY · THE COLLADOS
Falcata from Almedinilla Three sheets, silver and the risk of welding
This sword combines several iron sheets, silver decoration and a hilt with a horse's head.
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History and context Evidence and facts Objects connected through time Further reading Reference images Where it is held Sources and references Comments Museum documentation · free public access, no account required.
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Main image 2 RECONSTRUCTION FROM THE ORIGINAL · AI · CC BY-SA 3.0 Reconstruction · Declared visual hypothesis
Interpretive reconstruction with AI from two photographs by Luis García (Zaqarbal): full view CC BY-SA3.0 and hilt detail CC BY-SA2.0. Adaptation distributed CC BY-SA3.0. Changes: black background, moderate turn and conservative surface finish. It is not an archaeological photograph nor a certified restitution. Microdetails, finish and colour are interpretive approximations.
Tracekeepers / OpenAI ImageGen; source photograph: Luis García (Zaqarbal) · National Archaeological Museum of Spain · Inventory: MAN 10475 · CC BY-SA 3.0
View full image: RECONSTRUCTION FROM THE ORIGINAL · AI · CC BY-SA 3.0 RECONSTRUCTION FROM THE ORIGINAL · AI · CC BY-SA 3.0 Reconstruction · Declared visual hypothesis
Interpretive reconstruction with AI from two photographs by Luis García (Zaqarbal): full view CC BY-SA3.0 and hilt detail CC BY-SA2.0. Adaptation distributed CC BY-SA3.0. Changes: black background, moderate turn and conservative surface finish. It is not an archaeological photograph nor a certified restitution. Microdetails, finish and colour are interpretive approximations.
Tracekeepers / OpenAI ImageGen; source photograph: Luis García (Zaqarbal) · National Archaeological Museum of Spain · Inventory: MAN 10475 · CC BY-SA 3.0
View full image: ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH · Luis García (Zaqarbal) · CC BY-SA 3.0 ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH · Luis García (Zaqarbal) · CC BY-SA 3.0 Documentary original · Exact correspondence
Documentary photograph without semantic retouching. Preserves the condition and visible details of the reference piece.
Luis García (Zaqarbal) · National Archaeological Museum of Spain · Inventory: MAN 10475 · CC BY-SA 3.0
History and context The MAN piece was made by forging together several iron sheets; the central one continued within a horse-head-shaped hilt. The curvature displaces mass towards the striking zone. This example lacks a back edge: not all falcatas shared exactly the same blade.
Damascening inlays silver into iron and turns technology into prestige. The quality of falcatas varied: carburisation, welding, tempering and finish did not respond to a uniform industrial recipe, and a defective weld could ruin work and reputation.
It was found in 1867 in a tomb at Los Collados. The incomplete ancient context obliges separating the secure biography of the object from the probable reconstruction of its owner.
Evidence and interpretation Documented fact: iron, welded construction, silver decoration, chronology and funerary provenance. Interpretation and caution: not all falcatas had identical microstructure, patina or efficacy; nor were they the universal sword of all Iberian peoples.
Catalogue facts
Narrative date 4th–3rd centuries BCE
Location Necropolis of Los Collados, Almedinilla (Córdoba)
Material Iron/steel and silver damascening
Context Prestige weapon from a tomb
Classification Iberian collection or explicit interpretive resource
Visual reference Official photograph of the falcata · MAN, room 11
In this grouping Iron weapon from a tomb; its deposit alone does not reconstruct a battle. Iron7 Silver19 Arms and military equipment29 Metalworking23 Funerary contexts64
The order uses the midpoint of each approximate date range; ranges can overlap. Spacing does not represent elapsed time. Swipe, scroll or use the arrows. With the sequence focused, use ← / →, Home or End.
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2 / 3 In the centre: Falcata from Almedinilla
Also connected, without a comparable date (4) These objects are not placed after the others: an unknown date does not mean a more recent object.
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Silver The goat from PG 1237 · ca. 2600–2400 BCE · SumerStag Vessel · 14th–13th centuries BCE · HittitesBefore the Iberias · Final Bronze, c. 1000 BCE · IberiansTwenty-six voiceless signs · 5th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaRogozen · mainly 5th–4th centuries BCE; The set has a history of accumulation, not a single manufacturing date. · ThraciansThe silver amphora of Chertomlyk · 4th century BCE · Greek worldsTreasure of Jávea · 4th century BCE · IberiansThoth in the form of a baboon · 664–30 BCE · Ancient EgyptPoroina Mare Rhyton · Second half of the 4th century BCE · ThraciansBorovo · 4th century BC C.; 350–300 BCE in the ISAW catalog. · ThraciansFalcata from Almedinilla · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · Iberians — You are viewingTreasure of Cheste · Jewellery from the 4th–3rd centuries BCE; concealment at the end of the 3rd century BCE. · IberiansMairena Hoard · 3rd century BCE · IberiansChão de Lamas pectoral · 3rd–2nd centuries BCE · concealed in the early 1st century BCE · IberiansVase from Chão de Lamas · Piece: III–II centuries BCE · concealment ≈110–76 BCE · IberiansHorse fibula · 2nd century BCE · disputed chronology · IberiansThe dismantled cauldron · 2nd–1st centuries BCE · Celtic worldsPatera from Perotito · Second half of the 2nd–beginnings of the 1st century BCE · IberiansDenarius of Carisius · ≈25–23 BCE · IberiansArms and military equipment Bilateral harpoon · ≈15,000 years · Magdalenian · PrehistoryNahal Hemar Knives · 8th millennium BCE · Pre-Pottery Neolithic B context · PrehistoryHolmegaard bow · ≈7000 BCE · PrehistoryGebel el-Arak knife · 3600–3200 BCE · Naqada II C–D · Ancient EgyptNarmer Palette · ca. 3100 BCE · Ancient EgyptStele of the Vultures · Towards 2450–2425 BCE · SumerNaram-Sin Stele · Reign of Naram-Sin, 2254–2218 BCE · SumerBefore Phoenicia · 20th–18th centuries BCE · PhoeniciansTalayotic sword · ≈1200–1000 BCE · destruction of the talayot towards 790 BCE · IberiansThe lute-shaped dagger · Towards 1000–400 BCE · Gojoseon and early KoreaSteppe kurgans · 7th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaBow and arrows in a case · 5th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaCoțofenești helmet · Second half of the 5th century – beginning of the 4th century BCE · ThraciansGrave goods of Baza and Toya · First half of the 4th century BCE · IberiansA battle on a comb · Early 4th century BCE · Scythians and SakaThe Solokha gold comb · 4th century BCE · Greek worlds453 astragali from Alarcos · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · necropolis chronology · IberiansFalcata from Almedinilla · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · Iberians — You are viewingThe blade became straight · 5th–1st centuries BCE · Gojoseon and early KoreaVas dels Guerrers · 3rd–early 2nd century BCE · IberiansWarriors' Vase · 3rd–2nd centuries BCE · IberiansThe Shield that Did Not Fight · Around 350–50 BCE · Celtic worldsGladiators Cup of Chavagnes · 25–75 CE · Etruscans and RomeThracian Gladiator from Cádiz · 67–100 CE · Etruscans and RomeWithout a comparable date (not part of the chronological order):
Metalworking The Gold of Varna · Towards 4600–4200 BCE · ThraciansBefore Phoenicia · 20th–18th centuries BCE · PhoeniciansValchitran · second half of the 14th century–beginning of the 13th century BCE, according to NAIM; other publications use wider intervals from the Late Bronze. · ThraciansGold at Kuntur Wasi · c. 800–550 BCE · Pre-Inca culturesCondomina Earring · 6th century BCE · IberiansBow and arrows in a case · 5th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaCoțofenești helmet · Second half of the 5th century – beginning of the 4th century BCE · ThraciansThe Solokha gold comb · 4th century BCE · Greek worldsTreasure of Jávea · 4th century BCE · IberiansFalcata from Almedinilla · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · Iberians — You are viewingMarina Alta Hoard · Jewellery: 5th–2nd centuries BCE; concealment probably around 80–73 BCE. · IberiansPanagyurishte · late 4th century – early 3rd century BCE, towards 300 BCE · ThraciansThe Shield that Did Not Fight · Around 350–50 BCE · Celtic worldsSimancas-type belt buckle · Second half of the IV century–V century CE · IberiansMoulds for gold · 9th–11th centuries CE · Mande WorldsGold rhinoceros · ca. 1220–1290; found in 1933 · Bantu-speaking worldsWithout a comparable date (not part of the chronological order):
Funerary contexts Brno II Articulated Figure · ≈28,000 years cal BP · by funerary association · Prehistory'Jamila's' necklace · ≈7250–7000 BCE · PrehistoryThe Gold of Varna · Towards 4600–4200 BCE · ThraciansEl Miradero spatula-idols · ≈4000–3800 cal BCE · PrehistoryGuadancil idol-plaque · 3750–2500 cal BCE · IberiansStaff of Anta 4 · Late 4th–first half of the 3rd millennium BCE. · PrehistoryAbydos Boats · ca. 3000 BCE · Ancient EgyptQueen's Lyre · ca. 2600–2500 BCE · SumerPuabi headdress · ca. 2600–2450 BCE · SumerStandard of Ur · ca. 2600–2400 BCE · SumerCemetery R-37 · ca. 2550–2030 BCE · Indus civilisationKerma vessel · c. 1802–1640 BCE · Nubia, Kerma and KushGrave Circle A and Chrysolakkos · 18th–16th centuries BCE · Greek worldsBurial at K IV · circa 1750–1550 BCE · Nubia, Kerma and KushBefore Vedic India · c. 1900–1300 BCE · Vedic and later Indian worldsOsmankayası and Ilıca · ca. 1700/1650–1200 BCE · HittitesTutankhamun's grave goods · death towards 1323 BCE · Ancient EgyptFu Hao’s burial goods · ca. 1200 BCE · Ancient ChinaThe voice of Ahiram · c. 11th–10th century BCE · PhoeniciansBefore Etruscans and Rome · ca. 850–800 BCE · Etruscans and RomeThe urn under the helmet · 9th–8th centuries BCE · Etruscans and RomeTomb 1 at Kuntur Wasi · c. 800 BCE · Pre-Inca culturesBeads from Cerro de los Vientos · 8th–7th centuries BCE · orientalizing · IberiansCeramic stand 1010 · 8th–7th centuries BCE · orientalizing · IberiansRegolini-Galassi tomb · ca. 675–650 BCE · Etruscans and RomeShabti of Psamtek · 570–526 BCE · Ancient EgyptTwo voices in an urn · 530–520 BCE · Etruscans and RomeThe great Greek krater of Vix · ≈530–500 BCE · Greek worldsSteppe kurgans · 7th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaVix Tomb · c. 500 BCE · Celtic worldsLa Venta grave goods · ca. 600–400 BCE · Maya worldsSarcophagus of Eshmunazar · first quarter of the 5th century BCE · PhoeniciansBanquet under leopards · Around 480–470 BCE · Etruscans and RomeTwenty-six voiceless signs · 5th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaThe oldest knotted carpet · 5th–4th centuries BCE · Scythians and SakaThe statue was the urn · First half of the 4th century BCE · IberiansGrave goods of Baza and Toya · First half of the 4th century BCE · IberiansThe Attic krater that took on a new life in Cástulo · 4th century BCE · Greek worldsThe silver amphora of Chertomlyk · 4th century BCE · Greek worldsThe Kul-Oba vase · 4th century BCE · Greek worldsSusa grave goods · c. 350 BCE · Achaemenid PersiaFaces of the Steppe · Second half of the 4th century BCE · Scythians and SakaLady of Ibiza · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · Phoenicians453 astragali from Alarcos · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · necropolis chronology · IberiansLady of Ibiza · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · IberiansFalcata from Almedinilla · 4th–3rd centuries BCE · Iberians — You are viewingGolyamata Kosmatka · End of the 4th century – beginning of the 3rd century BCE; ritual burial at the beginning of the III according to Iskra. · ThraciansThe blade became straight · 5th–1st centuries BCE · Gojoseon and early KoreaGeometry in very fine lines · 3rd–2nd centuries BCE · Gojoseon and early KoreaNorthern mound · 2nd–1st centuries BCE · Yayoi JapanTwo rows of coffins · Mainly Middle Yayoi, 2nd century BCE–1st century CE · Yayoi JapanKabusanza, ca. 400 · ca. 400 CE · Batwa / Twa historiesPakal’s grave goods · sealed on 28 August 683 CE · Maya worldsMissing grave goods · 13th–15th centuries according to the heritage overview · Bantu-speaking worldsWithout a comparable date (not part of the chronological order):
A closer look About 1 min to read · 1 section. Further reading and sources · free access. Editorial review recorded: September 5, 2026 .
A blade with a bird and grooves Near the tip is a small bird made by silver inlay, appearing to emerge from a vegetal motif. The decoration, therefore, is not concentrated solely on the hilt: it reaches a zone of the blade that directly participated in its use. The MAN study also describes deep grooves intended to lighten it. This falcata measures 59 centimetres and lacks a back edge. It is an important difference from other examples of the same family, whose tip does present two cutting edges: the common name does not imply identical construction.
Reference images and provenance View full-size photograph ⛶ ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH · Luis García (Zaqarbal) · CC BY-SA 3.0 Documentary photograph without semantic retouching. Preserves the condition and visible details of the reference piece.
Documentary original · Exact correspondence
Luis García (Zaqarbal) · National Archaeological Museum of Spain · Inventory: MAN 10475
Where it is held Item or group in the record · Permanent exhibition
Room 11 · display case 11.5.
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