Behind the Sword: Experimental Archaeology and Historical European Martial Arts

In Behind the Sword, anthropologist Joseph C Wilson investigates whether sport can be a viable form of experimental archaeology by assessing the work of athletes in Historical European Martial Arts for their historical accuracy and dedication to educating audiences about the role of women in Medieval warfare. During his study, Wilson traveled across Ireland, Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy investigating known Medieval warrior women to analyze their fighting styles and the weapons they would have used in combat to assess the accuracy of athletes in HEMA in how they use their equipment in the 21st Century.