Pernik sword

{{Short description|Medieval sword found in Bulgaria}}

The Pernik sword is a medieval double-edged iron sword unearthed in the ruins of the medieval fortress of Krakra near Pernik, western Bulgaria, on 1 January 1921. It bears an inscription in silver inlay on the blade. The sword is preserved in the National Archaeological Museum of Bulgaria in Sofia. The sword is {{convert|96|cm|in}} long and up to {{convert|4.5|cm|in|abbr=on}} wide.

The blade inscription is typical of the 12th-century "garbled" in nomine type, reading {{Not a typo|+IHININIhVILPIDHINIhVILPN+}}. Comparable blade inscriptions range from the comparatively clear {{Not a typo|NNOMNEDMN}} to the heavily distorted {{Not a typo|00NINOMINED}}, {{Not a typo|OIEDOMINI}}, {{Not a typo|INNIOINNEDINI}}. There is a scholarly tradition of attempts to interpret this type of inscription as abbreviations or contractions, e.g. reading {{Not a typo|INPMPNC}} as '{{Not a typo|I(n) n(omine) p(atris) M(ater) p(atris) n(ostri) C(hristi)}}'.Drboglav, D. (1984): Zagadki latinskih klejm na mečah IX-XIV vekov (Klassifikazija, datirovka i čtenie nadpisej). Moskva.Štereva, I. (1975): Kam vaprosa za mečovete v srednovekovna Balgarija. V: Archeologia, kn. 2, 55-60. Following such proposals, Mihailov (1985) proposed a tentative reading of the Pernik inscription along the lines of "{{Not a typo|IH(ESUS). IN I(HESUS) N(OMINE). IH(ESUS) VI(RGO). L(AUS) P(ATRIS) I(HESUS) D(OMINI) H(RISTUS). IN IH(ESUS) VI(RGO). L(AUS) P(ATRIS) N(OSTRIS)}}".Mihailov, St. (1985): Nadpisăt na latinski ezik vărhu meča ot Perniškata krepost. V: Archeologia, kn. 3, 46 sl.

By contrast, Dentschewa (2005) argued for a Lombardic interpretation of {{Not a typo|IH INI NI hVIL PIDH, INI hVIL PN}}, meaning 'I do not await eternity, I am eternity'.Dentschewa, Langobardische (?)…, p. 1.