In arms and armour literature, a chape is the lower fitting of a sword or sabre scabbard, usually made of metal, designed to reinforce and protect it from damage. Written sources indicate that a sword without a scabbard was half the price, making it an important element of military equipment. However, did every scabbard have the appropriate reinforcement? Archaeological finds show a significant preponderance of known swords over the number of chapes. In Central Europe, no sword has been found in a grave with a chape, so either naked swords were placed in graves, or swords in scabbards but without this element. The presentation will be devoted to considering whether chapes served other functions in addition to practical ones. Various symbols visible on their surface can be interpreted in heraldic or apotropaic categories.
