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 century by St. Theodore. The Treasury of this abbey is still one of the richest in treasures of very early date.

A reconstruction applicable to the St. Maurice sword by the present author after Viollet-le-Duc

In 1591 Carlo Emanuele I of Savoy transferred this sword, together with half the bones of St. Maurice, to whom the sword was by tradition attributed (St. Maurice died in 302!), to the Royal Chapel at Turin. In 1858 the sword was placed in the Royal Armoury of Turin, where it is now shown with its fine gesso duro case made to contain it early in the XVth century (Fig. 109). This form of travelling case was a very necessary precaution for the preservation of this supposed relic, as, according to tradition, this sword was constantly being handled, not for purposes of destruction, but from the faith of the time in the power of its touch to aid the barren woman to attain her world's desire. It was originally a war sword. The quillons and pommel are of iron, the latter of Brazil nut form; whilst the quillons, which are oblong and rectangular in section, grow wider towards their ends and droop slightly. The blade, 1-1/4 inch wide at the hilt, is of superlatively fine make.