Scimitar

Typically used by the Orcs living in the Misty Mountains, Scimitar is a short or medium-sized sword featuring a curved blade. Its origin is in Harad and the Misty Mountains. As described in ‘The Hobbit’, the bodyguard of Bolg used scimitars made of steel during the Battle of Five Armies. In Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’, the Fellowship had discovered scimitars having blackened blades in the Chamber of Mazarbul. An orc-chieftain later entered the chamber with a scimitar and spear. At the fight of the Fellowship, the Hobbit Frodo saw hundreds of orcs with scimitars and spears near the Bridge of Khazad-Dum in the Fireflight of the First Hall. Another version of Scimitar was those with short and broad blades used by goblin-soldiers of Isengard. Four of these blades were set apart by Aragorn knowing they were used by Orcs. The Haradrim were those who used scimitars and introduced them to the Pelennor Fields. Scimitars were described as ‘like glittering stars’ in the books. [1] In Tolkien’s writings, any curved blade existing in Middle Earth is referred to as Scimitar.

There were some other types of curved blades as well like the Falcutta and Kopis that were forward-curving. Talking about the swordsmanship, there were backward-curved blades that did not fall under the category of Scimitar. However, Tolkien suggests that any curved blade is a scimitar. It is basically a backward-curved sword with a thick back edge. The blade is usually narrow with width equalling its length. There is also a handle whose curve is not in symmetry with the curve of the blade. Scimitar is designed to combat the soldiers, and it serves the purpose effectively. The primary function of this sword is to hack the cavalry. It can be used to wound the horses or riders seriously as they ride. It needs more effort to use but hits harder. This kind of design of Scimitar made the Orcs stronger than elves and men.​