Early iron swords were generally rather short, since very little was known about how to produce a long blade with enough temper to keep it from folding up in battle. By the fifth century BC the Celts were able to produce a steely iron, and as a result their swords grew somewhat longer. The anthropomorphic hilt was still quite popular, and the combination made for a very attractive sword. This is a replica of a sword that was excavated from Brembate Sotto and probably made in the 5th century.