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Weapons Dictionary Search

Name

Origin

Description

Abbasi

Straight-bladed steel sword with a padded hilt; back of the blade was strengthened by supports; often highly decorated with gold inlay and gilt

Aclys

Roman 

Wooden Roman throwing stick with a spiked head; attached to user's arm with a strap which enabled it to be retrieved after it had been thrown

Adarga

Parrying weapon consisting of a small bladed shield attached to a short spear

Adze

General 

The adze was a traditional carpenter’s tool with a long thin axe-like blade attached at a right angle to the handle; they were used for cutting grooves. The Maori of New Zealand used adzes (called a toki) as war weapons. Theirs were carved of bone or jade, usually very elaborately, and lashed to a wooden handle.

Ahlespiess

German 

A polearm common to German-speaking areas, particularly used by the Swiss and Habsburgs: the wooden shaft is relatively short, and the weapon is equipped with a long square rod that is sharpened at the end for thrusting. It could be used either to stab, or, if caught out of a close formation, as an effective anti-armor club

Ailette

European 

Flat plate of leather or parchment which tied to the point of the shoulder; worn between 1250-1350 to display the owner's coat of arms

AK-47

U.S.S.R 

The most famous automatic weapon in the world today is the AK-47 Light machine gun. It is a 7.62mm that can punch holes in an blackhawk chopper, yet it is one of the most accurate and durable weapons in the world.
The start of the AK was back in WWII, with the Germens STG-44, a rugged yet effective weapon. Back then the U.S.S.R had the PPSH-41, and the Mosin-Nahant. After the war the Russins quickly took the concepts and turned it into the AK-47.
The AK is the most durable wepon in the world. It is said that the only way to stop an AK in the fild is to run it over it with a tank: it can withstand water, sand, mud, long drops, and it does not jam.

Aketon

European 

Quilted garment worn under armour (see also "gambeson") to absorb shock and impact. The term originated with Crusaders and is said to derive from the word "cotton."

Akinakes

Persian 

The Akinakes was a characteristic Persian sidearm. It was short in length but could be used for both cut and thrust. It is of Scythian origin, adopted by both the Medes and Persians from at least the seventh century until the second century B.C.

Alamani

Indian 

Curved steel Indian sword with a gilt handle

Ama-goi-ken

Japanese 

A Japanese temple sword which represents Amakurikara, or rain dragon; a straight-bladed, double-edged sword

Ancus

Indian 

Indian elephant goad; vary greatly in size from about 40 to 120 centimeters in length; shorter ones were used by riders, while the longer versions were used by the trainers who were on foot

Anelace

A heavy, broad-bladed, sharp-pointed, double-edged knife

Angolan battle-axe

African 

Weapon with blade attached to a wooden handle

Arbalest

General 

An extremely heavy crossbow, usually with a metal bow. Arbalests were too heavy to draw by hand, and required a windlass or cranequin.

Arbir

Indonesia 

Halberd weapon of pentjak-silat approximately five feet in length that features a shallow groove in the plane of the blade running the length of the shaft

Arit

Indonesian 

Sickle with pronounced crescent-blade patterns and a short handle, used in pentjak-silat.

Armet

European 

Close-fitted, visored helmet that appears to have originated in Italy sometime before 1450 and remained in use through 15th and 16th centuries. The armet was lighter and more protective than the bascinet it surplanted and made use of a new innovation of hinged cheek pieces. This way, the helmet could be closed around the head, and the weight taken up by the gorget and the shoulders. The armet was supplanted by the close-helmet, in turn.

Arming Cap

European 

Quilted cap worn beneath the helmet.

Arming doublet

Quilted garment worn under armour from the early fifteenth century, equipped with points to attach mail gussets and pieces of armour

Arming Sword

European 

After the 14th century, with the appearance of the longsword the simple, single-handed weapon became known as a short sword or arming sword, since it hung from the belt of the knight, while his longsword hung from the saddle.

Arnis

European 

Italian for "harness", the historical term for being "in armour".

Arquebus

General 

A short musket like early firearm usually used in conjunction with pikes. The weapons were loaded at the muzzle, with smoothbore barrels.

Aventail

1. a mail garment protecting the neck 2. a "curtain"of mail to protect the neck, suspended from the helmet and reaching to the shoulders

Axe

General 

It is nearly impossible to define the axe as a weapon with a single description or picture. Axes are a category of weapons all by themselves, much as swords, clubs, and polearms are.
They have been in use since the beginning of time, both for domestic/agricultural use and for combative use. Early axes were almost always wood hafted weapons, the heads of which were made of carved bone, metal, or stone chipped to an edge. As time and technology progressed, metal-hafted and metal-headed axes became more commonplace.

Ay-baita axe

Turkish 

Turkish battle-axe; head is mounted with a pick opposite the blade and broad metal bands extend down from the head along the wooden shaft for reinforcement

Ba

Chinese 

Knife handle; Sword hilt

Babanga

African 

Sword consisting of a metal leaf-shaped blade fitted onto a wooden hilt

Backsword

European 

The backsword was so named because it only had one cutting edge. The non-cutting edge (the back of the blade) was much thicker than the cutting edge thus creating a wedge type shape which was said to increase the weapons cutting capacity. The weapon is extremely similar to the messer, with the exception that the messer is usually made with a slight curve, whereas the backsword is almost always straight. Also known as a "Mortuary Sword", or the German "Reitschwert."

Baculus

General 

In terms of semantics, a baculus is defined as a staff, especially one that symbolizes authority. The term baculus, or baculum, is Latin for staff. Used in combat throughout Europe until well after the middle ages, the baculus was a heavy, hardwood club with a knotty head used for striking. While not as durable as a metal headed mace, the baculus could still inflict significant concussion damage to an armored or un-armored opponent. It was a popular weapon among conscripted soldiers because it was a relatively inexpensive weapon and easily obtained. It was common practice for soldiers using a baculus to carve and engrave the wood with pictures and marks recounting battles in which they had fought.

Badelaire

European 

Sword with a heavy, curved blade and S-shaped quillions; used during the 16th century

Badge

An emblematic figure, placed on some prominent part of the clothing of servants and retainers, such as the breast, back, sleeve, etc., to show to what household they belonged; found also on flags, and buildings

Badik

Malay 

Dagger shaped like a butterfly whose straight blade bears one sharp edge

Baggoro club

Australian 

Flat club made of hardwood with a sharpened edge

Bagh nakh

Indian 

(tiger claw, bich'hwa bagh nakh) bar with four or five curved blades attached; on each end of the bar a ring is attached so forefinger and pinky can be slipped through the rings with the bar in the palm; sometimes fitted with dagger blades

Balestarius axe

Large Battak axe/adze; head is fitted into the wooden handle and then lashed with reed

Baleyn

Medieval word for whalebone which was used for weapons and armour during the 14th century

Balisong

Phillipines 

Knife, also known as a "butterfly knife."

Ball & chain

European 

Type of flail; consists of a metal ball attached to a short wooden handle by a chain

Ballinger / balinger

European 

1. English sailing barge usually with from forty to fifty oars 2. small oared vessel with single mast and sail.

Balta axe

Turkish 

Turkish battle-axe; the axe head was normally engraved and often inlaid with silver or gold

Bang

Chinese 

Club

Barbut

(also called barbute and barbuta) an open-faced shoulder-length helmet, made in one piece, with a T-shaped face opening

Barbute

Italian 

Another Italian helmet design of the mid-15th century, the barbute or barbuta was a close-fitting helmet that came in a variety of open, and close-faced forms. It’s most famous design, had a “Y” or “T” shaped slot in the face to provide vision and ventilation, and was clearly modeled on ancient Classical Greek helmets.

Bard, or Barding

General 

A term for horse armor, which could be made from a variety of materials, including mail and plate.

Bardiche, or Berdiche

General 

A polearm with a long chopping blade, often with a slight curve. Numerous varieties of this basic weapon existed under a score of different names.

Bascinet

European 

Basin-shaped helmet, that evolved out of the small steel skull-cap worn beneath the great helm. The bascinet was initially open-faced, but as it supplanted the helm as the primary defense, a variety of hinged visors were developed. Bascinets were in use from the mid-14th through the mid-15th centuries, and were still occasionally used by foot soldiers into the early 16th century.

Baselard

General 

A dagger/short sword with an H-shaped hilt.

Basilard

European 

A two-edged, long bladed dagger of the late Middle Ages, often worn with both civilian dress and armour.

Bastard Swords

European 

Developed in the mid 1400's as a form of long-sword with specially shaped grips for one or two hands. These swords typically had longer handles which allowed use by one or both hands. The sword's hilt often had side-rings and finger rings to defend the hand, and a more slender, or tapered, narrowly pointed blade. Bastard swords continued to be used by knights and men-at-arms into the 1500's, and for a time, enjoyed the civilian side-arm role that would later be superceded by the sidesword and rapier.

Battering Ram

Unknown 

A Battering Ram is a large chunk of wood used to knock down castle walls in the Medieval era. With the weight of at least four men behind it, this weapon proved to be effective.

Bayonet

General 

At the end of the seventeenth century the French introduced the socket bayonet. This contained a sleeve fitting round the barrel and was locked into place with a slot and stud. This enabled the gun to be fired with the bayonet firmly secured in place. This type of bayonet was adopted by nearly all the Europeans armies.

The bayonet was originally a defensive weapon. Infantry standing two or three deep, who adopted a square formation, could defend their position against a cavalry charge. Bayonet charges were rarely attempted until the enemy was retreating.

The development of breech-loading rifles in the 19th century provided infantrymen with the firepower capable of beating off cavalry. After this, the bayonet turned from being primarily a defensive weapon to being a personal offensive weapon. The difficulties of fixing bayonets in battle led some armies to adopt permanently-attached bayonets which folded above or below the barrel of the rifle.

Bearded axe

European 

Large two-handed war axe used primarily in Europe; socketed metal head fitted to wooden handle

Bearded war axe

European 

Smaller, one-handed version of the bearded axe; for use as a missile or while mounted; socketed metal head fitted to wooden handle

Bec-de-corbin

European 

Type of war-hammer used in Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries; pick-like head was fitted with a spear like point for thrusting; normally mounted on a wooden haft with metal reinforcing bands extending down from the head

Beladah

Steel sword with a sabre like blade and a knuckle guard

Beladau

Sumatra 

Curved dagger with a convex cutting edge.

Berdan

Rifles 

ex-colonel Hiram Berdan of Berdan's Sharpshooters (American Civil War) supplied rifles including to the Russian Army which used them in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877.

Besagew

European 

A large, sliding roundel, protecting a joint, such as the inside of the elbow or the armpit.

Besagues

European 

Circular plates laced to the outside of the elbow joint and front of the shoulder to protect the joints in an armour

Bevor

European 

Also called a baviere or beavor. The bevor was a 15th century piece of armour that protected the lower part of the face when worn with a sallet. It could be afixed to the helmet of the breastplate, and was often hinged, so that it could be lowered when not in use.

Bi Shou

Chinese 

Dagger

Bian

Chinese 

Short iron stick

Big Bertha

Artillery 

In 1900 Alfred Krupp's armaments factory at Essen, Germany, began building a 350-mm howitzer that could fire an 800 lb shell over 10,000 yards. In 1908 the German Army asked Gustav Krupp to build an improved version of this gun with the capability of destroying the heaviest fortification.
By 1912 Krupp had produced a 420mm weapon that fired a 2,100 lb shell over 16,000 yards. As it weighed 175 tons, it was designed to be transported in five sections by rail and assembled at the firing site. This concerned the German Army and they asked for it to be adapted to be moved by road. By 1914 company had produced a mobile howitzer called Big Bertha (named after Gustav Krupp's wife). This 43 ton howitzer could fire a 2,200 lb shell over 9 miles. Transported by Daimler-Benz tractors, it took its 200-man crew, over six hours to re-assemble it on the site.

On the outbreak of the First World War, two Big Berthas and several Skoda 30.5 howitzers were erected outside the fortress of Liege in Belgium. The first shells were fired on 12th August at the ring of 12 forts around the city. By the 15th August all the forts had either been destroyed or had surrendered. News of the success of this new weapon at Liege encouraged other countries involved in the conflict to produce large mobile guns.

Bilbo

European 

Small thrusting sword with a rapierlike hilt

Biliong

Malayan 

Malaysian axe/adze consisting of a square-tanged blade fitted into a wooden handle; blade can be placed in line with the handle for use as an axe or at right angles for use as an adze; handgrip is often quite large and the smaller portion of the handle is very flexible; socket into which the head is fitted is normally bound with cane

Bill

Genera 

A pole weapon with a large chopping head, and often with a hook and backspike. Characteristically used by English infantry.

Binnol

European 

Flail consisting of a spiked ball head connected to a wooden handle by a short chain

Bipennis

European 

Double-bladed European war axe; mounted on a wooden haft

Bird's head club

Hardwood club with pick-like design as an attempt to improve the wounding capabilities of the weapon; often intricately carved

Birnie

European 

(also called byrnie) a mail shirt

Bisacuta

European 

Double-pointed pick used by European foot soldiers in the 14th century; metal head mounted on a wooden haft

Bisento

Chinese 

A spear-like weapon with a blade resembling a scimitar affixed to its end. This weapon is extremely heavy, and was used to cut through armor and/or to cut down a horse in combat. The bisento was primarily used by the ninja of feudal Japan.

Bi-teran

Australian 

Wooden club having a round handle and a flattened end

Bo

Japanese 

Wooden staff approximately six feet long. It is one of the five weapons systematized by the early Okinawan developers of te (hand), and originated with the poles used by farm people to balance heavy loads across the shoulders.

Bokken

Japanese 

Wooden sword used by the Japanese feudal warrior as a practice weapon. The bokken went on to become an effective battlefield weapon.

Bolas

Cord or leather thong with stones attached to each end; second cord with stone is attached to the center of the first to create a three-pronged weapon; weapon is spun around the head and then thrown at the target's legs

Bolt Action Rifle

Rifles and Pistols 

This type of rifle had been invented by a Scottish immigrant to the United States, James Paris Lee. The bolt is the device that closes the breech of the barrel. The bolt-action rifle had a metal box, into which cartridges were placed on top of a spring. As the bolt was opened, the spring forced the cartridges up against a stop; the bolt pushed the top cartridge into the chamber as it closed. After firing, the opening of the bolt extracted the empty cartridge case, and the return stroke loaded a fresh round

Bolts

Shortened arrows used in crossbows & arbalests; small stocky missiles know for being capable of incredible penetration

Boomerang

Australian 

Wooden throwing stick with an effective range of about 20 meters

Boss

General 

The round or cone-shaped metal plate at the center of a shield, protecting the hand. Also called an umbo.

Bouzdykan

Polish 

All metal mace used (17th century)

Bow

General 

The bow has been used throughout history by virtually every culture. Simple bows, as pictured here, were generally constructed of a single type and piece of wood. The shape of the bow back itself varied from culture to culture and lent different elastic properties to the weapon. The materials used in construction of the bow string varied, but the most common ones were flax, hemp, silk, cotton, and sinew (a combination of two or more of these was common). By bending the bow and attaching the bowstring to either end of the bow, the archer placed tension on the back. Nocking an arrow and drawing the string back placed greater tension on the bow. Releasing the arrow also released the tension energy built up in the bow and propelled the arrow farther and with greater force than it could be thrown.

Bracers

European 

Plate armour for the arms

Braquemar

European 

Sword with a short, double-edged blade.

Breaths

General 

Holes in the visor or faceplate of a helmet to provide ventilation.

Breeches

Trousers reaching to the knees

Breidox

Viking 

"broad axe" had a triangle-shaped blade. They are dated around 1000 AD, and were used exclusively as weapons. They were made out of hardened iron welded onto the shaft. They were sometimes decorated with silver and gold.

Brigandine

European 

A type of coat-of-plates (see below) with hundreds of small, overlapping plates, providing great mobility at a slight cost in protection. Popular in the 15th and 16th centuries, the brigandine was usually worn over padding, but not mail.

Broad axe

European 

European war axe having a broad, straight edge; head was socketed and attached to a wooden haft

Broadsword

General 

A term popularly misapplied as a generic synonym for medieval swords. The now popular misnomer "broadsword" as a term for medieval blades actually originated with Victorian collectors in the early 19th century.

Browning Machine-Gun

Machine-Guns 

John Moses Browning was a highly successful gunsmith from Utah. Inspired by the work of Hiram Maxim Browning began work on an automatic machine-gun. Unlike Maxim used propelling gas as a motive force. He drilled a hole in the gun barrel to divert some of the gas behind the bullet into a cylinder to drive a piston, which performed the various tasks of extracting the cartridge case, reloading and firing. In 1895 the Browning machine-gun was purchased by the US Navy.

In 1910 Browning produced a new 0.30-inch machine gun. However, the gun was not ordered by the United States Army until 1917. Over the next eighteen months 57,000 of these guns were produced for soldiers fighting on the Western Front.

Buckler

General 

A small round shield (9 - 18" in diameter) gripped in the hand with either a single handle, or two enarmes. The name buckler is a corruption of the Old French word bocler meaning boss, which refers to the boss or umbo at the center of the shield. It has become a matter of convenience to classify the buckler as a small, agile hand-shield. The definition is a convenient one to use but the reader should be aware that the ancients were not so pedantic about such definitions and used the term indifferently. Used since medieval times, bucklers were round or even square, approx. 8-20" and made of metal, wood, or metal trimmed wood. It was usually held in a fist grip and used to deflect or punch at blows and thrusts. The edge could also be used to strike and block. Some had long metal spikes on the front to attack with, or bars and hooks placed on the front to trap the point of an opponent's rapier. Italian "rondash" or "bochiero."

Buff-coat

European 

A heavy coat of buff-leather, used a pikeman and gunner’s armour in the Renaissance, alone or under a breastplate. Buff-coats were also often worn as light protection when dueling with rapiers or swords.

Bulawa

Russian 

All metal Russian mace

Bullova

Two-handed war axe that varies greatly in size but basically consists of a wide-bladed head attached to a wooden handle; some are fitted with a spike above the head for thrusting

Bullwhip

General 

Woven leather whip normally used as an animal herding tool

Burgonet

European 

An open-faced helmet with a crest and cheek-guards, used in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

Burnoose

European 

(burnous, burnouse) A sort of upper garment, with a hood attached.

Burrong

Australian 

Wooden club from Australia with an axelike shape

Buskin

European 

Footed leggings with thick sole made from expensive soft leathers and embroidered and brocaded fabrics.

Byrnie

European 

A mail shirt, mid-thigh length, with elbow-length sleeves. This was the principal body defense for wealthy warriors from late Antiquity until the early 11th century.

Cabacete

European 

Type of war hat popular in fifteenth century Europe with a turned-down brim which was drawn up to a point in the front and rear with an almond-shaped skull

Camail

European 

A curtain of mail, hanging from the bottom of the helmet, as a defense for the chin, neck, throat and shoulders.

Campilan

Malay 

Malaysian sword with a forked wooden pommel decorated with tufts of dyed hair; blade is single-edged, a curved projection behind the point

Cap-a-pie

French 

An Old French expression, meaning to be armed from head-to-foot.

Carroballista

Roman 

Roman army's mobile artillery piece. It improved upon the static arrow-shooting device by mounting it on a type of cart.

Casque

European 

(also called casquetal) a light open helmet, these were often similar in shape to the burgonet and popular in the 15th and 16th centuries

Cat-o'-nine tails

European 

European whip used in flogging; leather thongs were usually knotted at their ends and were sometimes fitted with metal spikes to tear the flesh of the victim

Cervèllaire

European 

Small skull cap worn under the great helmet (greathelm) during the last part of the 13th century and into the early 14th century

Cervelliere

European 

Steel skull cap

Cestrosphendone

European 

Sling dart consisting of a wooden pole with a leaf-shaped blade, attached behind were two or three fixed vanes of wood; sling was fitted at the tip and behind the vanes and the dart then spun above the head; effective range was about fifty meters

Cestus

Wide leather thongs, often weighted with lead; worn wound around the hands of Roman boxers

Cghchemarde

European 

European fencing sword of the late 17th century; blade was triangular in section for about 20 centimeters from the hilt and then narrowed to a flat section for the remainder of its length, the design gave the blade great lightness and flexibility

Cha

Chinese 

A metal folk with a long handle, used as weapon

Chainmail

General 

Body armour made of interlinked rings of metal.

Chakram

(shirikin) flat steel ring with a sharpened outer edge used as a thrown missile; several were often carried on a pointed turban; thrown like a frisbee

Chan

Chinese 

Shovel

Chanfron

European 

Armour for a horse's head

Chapel de fer

European 

An iron cap that was a domed helmet, made in three or more pieces, with a wide brow around the outside. During the 14th century it was widely used by English and French men-at-arms and bachelier knights who could not afford a bascinet.

Chausses

European 

Leggings. In the case of armour, mail leggings, tied to the belt by leather thongs, and usually worn over quilted chausses.

Chemeti

Whip normally made of buffalo leather or human hair and attached to a hardwood handle; a large knot is normally made in the end of the whip itself; overall length of the weapon can vary from 90 to 160 centimeters

Chereb

Straight bronze sword with a double-edged blade

Chiang

China 

"Spear." One of the major Chinese weapons practiced in wushu.

Chien

Japanese 

A double-edged sword used in many styles of kung fu. Also known as the "gim" or "jyan."

Chijiriki

Japanese 

Double-edged spear with a weighted chain attached to the butt end; two-handed weapon

Chui

Chinese 

A metal ball with a handle or chain used as weapon

Chundrick

A sword with an incurved steel blade and a straight hilt

Circlet

A circular band worn as an ornament on the finger, arm, neck or head

Claw hammer

General 

Typical carpenter's tool; metal head fitted to a wooden handle

Claymore

Gaelic 

Identified with the Scot's symbol of the warrior, the term "Claymore" is Gaelic for "claidheamh-more" (great sword). This two-handed broadsword was used by the Scottish Highlanders against the English in the 16th century and is often confused with a Basket-hilt "broadsword" (a relative of the Italian schiavona) whose hilt completely enclosed the hand in a cage- like guard. Both swords have come to be known by the same name since the late 1700's.

Cleaver

General 

A cleaver, etymologically, dervives from the verb cleave: to cut, split, sever, disunite, or divide by a blow. A cleaver ... cleaves. While primarily a butcher's implement, a number of weapons throughout the world, particularly in northern Africa and the middle east, share a striking resemblance in form and function to the kitchen cleaver

Clipei

Roman 

Roman Oval shield

Close-helmet

European 

A form of close-fitting, full helmet, of the 16th and 17th centuries. The close helm clearly derived from the armet, which it supplanted.

Club

General 

Clubs have been around as for as long as mankind has walked erect. Styles of clubs range from simple sticks to elaborately carved works of art. Bashing weapons used to inflict concussion blows rather than piercing ones, clubs are effective against all opponents, armored or not. The most recent forms of the mace weapon are simply derivations of the club concept.

Generally, clubs were made from some type of wood, but among certain cultures other sturdy, lightweight materials such as bone and stone were used.

Coat-armour

European 

An overgarment of the late Middle Ages, particularly popular in tournament, that showed the wearer’s heraldry, or that of his lord.

Coat-of-Plates

European 

Steel, bone, or hardened leather plates riveted or sewn inside a leather or heavy fabric covering, to provide a flexible form of plate armour. In the late 13th and 14th centuries, the coat-of-plates would have been worn over a mail haubergeon.

Coif

European 

A hood of fabric or mail, worn under the helmet.

Composite Bow

General 

The name composite bow was descriptive of a bow constructed of three basic layers of different materials, usually wood, bone, and sinew. Composite bows were constructed in a fairly labor-intensive process. Basically, bone and sinew layers were applied to a wood core; each layer would enhance the elasticity of the others. The wood core generally consisted of three pieces: one for the upper part of the bow, one for the lower part, and the hand grip. Two strips of horn would be glued to the belly (side toward the archer) of the wood core, and a strip of sinew would be glued to the back (side toward the target) of the wood core. The elastic properties of these materials working together allowed a smaller bow to fire an arrow farther and with greater force. Turkish composite bows were considered to be the world’s best bows until synthetic materials were used in bow construction, just this century. The greatest distances for an arrow shot from a composite bow were recorded in the 19th century: 660 yards for special arrows, and 440 yards (1/4 mile) for war arrows.

Compound bow

General 

Compound bows were invented in 1966 in the USA. This is by far the most popular bow type in use today. The bow has off-centered pulleys at each end. Steel or other material cables are fixed at the end of each limb. These pass around the pulley at the opposite end (directly or via another linked cable). The free ends of the cables leaving the pulleys are joined together with a bowstring. The pulleys provide a mechanical advantage that makes the bow easier to draw and to hold at full draw. A compound is more powerful and shorter than a recurve. It has a wide bow window enabling the arrow to be centre shot. Many compound archers use additional shooting aids such as a telescopic sight with a horizontal spirit level, a back sight fitted within the string (called a peep sight), a draw length limiter and a mechanical release aid for holding and releasing the string. Owing to the power of the bow and the shooting aids, the compound bow is the most accurate of the three types of bow described.

Compound-hilt

European 

A term used for the various forms of swept, basket, and cage hilts found on Renaissance swords. The compound hilt is comprised of the quillon, side-rings, and a knuckle bar in a variety of configurations.

Corslet

European 

(also called corselet) a light half-armour popular in the sixteenth century for general military use; consisted of a gorget, breast, back and tassets, full arms and guantlets

Cote armour

European 

Quilted garment worn over a breastplate, cote of plates, or as the sole body defense during the 14th century.

Cote of arms

A word that seems to have been interchangeable meaning a cote armour blazoned with a device, or a surcoat bearing the heraldic charge of a man's affiliation. Because it was the most visible expression of a knight's arms, the word has come to mean the heraldic device itself rather than the cote upon which it was sewn, painted, or embroidered.

Cote of plates

(pair of plates, plates) A cloth or leather covered armour for the body with several large plates riveted underneath for the defense of the body.

Coupe-coupe

African 

weapon used by the Amazones in Dahomey against the French Foreign Legionaries

Couteau-Coutelace/Culter-Cultello

Genera 

A knife or dagger. It is important to remember that in the middle ages, these weapons were commonly much larger than their modern counterparts.

Couter

European 

Plate armour protecting the elbow. Often fitted with a besagew.

Craoseach

Irish 

13-14th century Irish term for a long spear. Unlike the javelin, this weapon was not designed to be thrown.

Craquemarte

European 

Heavy sword with a curved blade and a knuckle guard; generally used at sea

Crest

Heraldic device worn on helm

Crossbow

General 

Also referred to as an arbalest, the crossbow was seen as early as 1066 but didn’t become popular for about another century. The first crossbows were constructed entirely of wood but later models incorporated animal cartilage in the yew wood frame for elasticity. The original crossbows were actually very poor weapons: very slow to load, prone to misfires, and overly complicated for the generally mechanically disinclined population of the period. As technology improved during the middle ages and mechanical devices were developed for loading and aiming crossbows, their use and popularity increased.

Cross-guard

European 

The steel, cross-piece between the hand and blade of a Medieval sword.

Crowbill

General 

The crowbill is the weapon collectors’ term for the fighting pick pictured here, named for its resemblance to the bill of a crow. The most elaborate and best crafted weapons of the crowbill type were from Persia and India. The crowbill and similar picks were designed specifically to pierce through chain mail armor and plate mail joints

Cudgel

General 

The cudgel was basically a specialized club used as an instrument of punishment or as a weapon. Cudgels were generally shorter than Quarterstaffs with a weighted, rounded end (it wasn't uncommon to have the end of the cudgel bound with metal, wire, or spiked through with nails). Slave drivers, constabulary officials, and others in similar positions where quick "discipline" was a must carried cudgels.

Cuirass

European 

A full, plate body-armour, comprised of a breastplate, backplate, and sometimes, tassets.

Cuirbouilli

European 

Leather, hardened by boiling in water, used as a material for armour, particularly in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Cuisse

European 

Armour for the thighs. Early cuises were simply quilted garments, like an aketon, but term also later applied to plate defenses.

Cuisses

EuropeanEuropean 

Plate armour pieces protecting the thighs

Cumber-jung

Indian 

Flail made by attaching two heavy quoits to a short handle of wood by chains

Cut-and-Thrust Sword

European 

The spada filo or spada da lato of the Italian Renaissance masters. The sword was a thinner, more tapered sword than the earlier Medieval forms, but still shorter and wider than the nearly edgeless rapier. They were used for hacking, slashing, stabbing, and had compound hilts used to employ a "fingered" grip. Unlike the later rapier, which was wholly a civilian weapon, the cut & thrust sword was a military weapon that became popular for civilian use until superseded by the rapier. Various forms of later military cut & thrust swords include the: schiavona, spadroon, hanger, and Espadon.

Cutlass

General 

The cutlass developed after the 16th century as a purely cutting/slashing weapon. By definition, the cutlass was a curved European blade with a plain, guarded hilt, similar in shape and use to the saber. The cutlass descended in design from the Turkish scimitar and Egyptian khopesh; in fact, the name cutlass derives from the term curtle-axe which is an Anglicization of the Turkish “curtus” and axe. Cutlasses were most popular among naval infantry soldiers

Da Dao

Chinese 

Great saber

Daab

Thai 

A Thai sword used in Krabi Krabong.

Dabus

Mace that consists of a piece of wood studded with nails

Dagger

General 

A knife, usually in the form of a sword. Daggers came a variety of forms, with both single and double edged varieties. Like swords, were usually fitted with a pommel and guard, and throughout the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, also developed progressively more complex hilts.

Dagger mace

European 

European mace/pick made entirely of steel; shaped to look like a hand holding a dagger

Daisho

Japanese 

"Big and small." Two swords, one long and the other short, worn by the samurai class in feudal Japan

Daito

Japanese 

A long sword, whose cutting edge, was over 24 inches in length, as contrasted with such shorter swords as the wakizashi (18 inches.)

Dalwel

Burmese 

Burmese two-handed sword with a tanged steel blade; sword has a heavy, square-ended blade fitted into an unguarded hilt of wood or ivory; consists of a slightly curved, single-edged blade fitted into an unguarded wooden hilt

Dao

Chinese 

Single-edged sword

Dao Bei

Chinese 

Back of sword blade

Dart

Genera 

See Javelin

Dha

Sword with a broad blade and a plain, unguarded handle

Dhara

Mace having six blades; made entirely of steel with a padded hilt

Dirk

General 

Long, usually single-edged dagger

Dolabra

Roman 

Axe-like tool/weapon used by legionnaires; socketed head attached to a wooden handle

Doloire

European 

(wagoner's axe) battle axe used in the 15th century; socketed steel head is fitted to a wooden haft

Doublet

European 

A man's close-fitting jacket with or without sleeves, worn chiefly from the 14th to 16th centuries

Dowak

Flat throwing stick

Drashel

Dorset 

Drashel or Dreshel is Dorset slang for a flial: Two pieces of wood joined by a leather thong or short metal chain and used for threshing. One piece of wood is held and the other then swung.

Duan Dao

Chinese 

Short saber

Duan Jian

Chinese 

Dirk

Dusack

Weapon made of a single piece of iron with a curved blade and guarded hilt

Eccat

Sword with a deer horn hilt and no guard

Elephant axe

African 

Large two-handed axe used to ham-string elephants; iron head is fitted into the wooden handle by means of a tang

Enarmes

European 

Leather straps used to grip a shield or buckler.

Epaule de mouton

Steel defense for the complete arm; developed during the 15th and 16th centuries; used exclusively in jousts

Epsilon axe

Middle East 

(eye axe) early axe form used in the ancient Middle East; head of cast copper or bronze was fitted into a wooden handle by tangs; broad head made it suitable for use against unarmoured foes since its penetration capabilities were not great

Espada

Spanish 

Spanish for sword.

Espadon

European 

Two-handed sword of the 15th century

Espee/Epee

French 

Old French and Modern French terms for sword, respectively.

Estoc

European 

A form of long, rigid, pointed, triangular or square bladed and virtually edgeless longsword designed for thrusting into plate-armor was the estoc. Called a "stocco" in Italian and a "tuck" in English, they were used with two hands - similar to great-swords. They were used in two hands with the second hand often gripping the blade. Rapiers are sometimes mistakenly referred to as tucks, and may have been referred to as such by the English.

Fakir's horns

Indian 

Weapon made of horns; some have spear points attached to the ends of the horns

Falcata

Roman 

Forward-curving single-edged sword

Falchion

European 

A single-edged, heavy-bladed sword, usually widening noticeably towards the tip. A form of sword that was little more than a meat cleaver, possibly even a simple kitchen and barnyard tool adopted for war. Indeed, it may come from a French word for a sickle, "fauchon". It can be seen in Medieval art being used by warriors of all stations, especially in close quarters fighting. The weapon is entirely European in origin, and is similar to the German "dusack," and has been linked to the Dark Age long knife or "seax." The falchion was used throughout the Middle Ages, predominantly by foot soldiers, but occasionally as a side-arm for mounted knights. More common in the Renaissance, it was considered a weapon to be proficient with in addition to the sword. The falchion appeared in several forms, but mostly all forms have a single edge and rounded point or "clipped" point. This wide, heavy blade was weighted more towards the point, and could deliver tremendous blows, making it ideal for combating heavy armours.

Falx

Dacian 

The falx is a curved cutlass-like blade on the end of a long wooden (almost spear-like) handle. Unlike a cutlass, however, the falx is sharpened along the inner curve of the blade, so that the damage on the blow is done with a pulling motion.

Fang

Chinese 

All iron weapon with two double-edged blades at the end

Fauld

Skirt of overlapping lames riveted to leather and protecting the wearer below the waist, usually attached to a breastplate

Firangi

Straight-bladed sword; the hilts were padded and fitted with spiked pommels

Fish Spine Sword

India 

This is a difficult weapon to place firmly in a particular time or culture. India had a "fish spine" sword made of a metal ,comb-like blade which inflicted extremely devastating wounds to unprotected flesh. Most likely, though, the Indians developed their blade based on a weapon from New Guinea, pictured here. The New Guinea fish spine sword was made from the snout of the saw-fish, a shark common to waters throughout the Pacific. The barbs are teeth-like and very sharp. One end of the snout would be carved into a handle and then wrapped with leather or cloth. A full blow from this sturdy weapon could easily bisect or behead an opponent.

Fist mace

European 

Iron or steel mace shaped like a clenched fist

Flagellum

Roman 

Three-pronged whip but was ineffective against heavy armor

Flail

Genera 

A mace that has the weight connected to the handle by a chain. Commonly called a "morning star" when the weight is spiked, though this may not be historically accurate. In Bohemia, this usually refers to a huge two-handed version that had a short, (~1.5 feet) wooden iron-wrapped weight connected to a 5-8 foot-long handle, which was capable of killing a plate-armored man in a single blow, but was very slow and heavy.

Flamberge

European 

An unusual waved-bladed rapier popular with officers and upper classes during the 1600s. It was considered to look both fashionable and deadly as well as erroneously believed to inflict a more deadly wound. When parrying with the flamberge, the opponent's sword was slowed slightly as it passed along the length. It also created a disconcerting vibration in the other blade. The term flamberge was also used later to describe a dish-hilted rapier with a normal straight blade. Certain wave or flame-bladed two-handed swords have also come to be known by collectors as "flamberges", although this is inaccurate. Such swords are more appropriately known as "flammards" or "flambards".

Flanged Mace

General 

By the middle ages, many European maces were all metal construction. Flanges, spikes, and similar pointed protrusions were added to combat plate and mail armor. The force of a blow, concentrated on the tip of a flange or spike, was very effective at denting and piercing armor.

Flat club

Samoan 

Hardwood club, often elaborately carved; sharp edges on the head to improve effectiveness

Fletching

General 

Feathers fastened onto the back of an arrow to help it fly straight

Fleuret

European 

Fencing sword with a cup hilt

Flyssa

Sword with a straight-backed blade with a long point; often the blades are inlaid with bronze

Footman's Lance

General 

The footman's lance was essentially a spear used solely for thrusting. Generally, lances were considered to be a cavalry weapon but foot soldiers used a smaller version of them during the iron age throughout the known world. The main difference between a spear-proper and a footman's lance is that spears were often designed such that the spear tip broke off upon impact with the target. Lances, conversely, were designed such that the tip would not break off in the hands of the wielder. Other than that, though, a footman's lance is a spear

Fou Tou Ou

China 

A sword used in kung fu, known as the "hook and crescent" sword.

Francisca

(axe/missle) from 6th-8th centuries it was normally used as a missile; standard tactic was to hurl it at an enemy and then charge in with sword or spear; consists of a socketed, iron head attached to a wooden haft; effective range was about 15 meters when thrown

Fu

China 

Battle axe.

Fuchi

Japanese 

The metal sleeve located at the base of the handle next to the guard of a samurai sword.

Fukidake

A blowpipe not normally used in combat but rather to poison opponents; about two meters in length, darts were fitted with paper cones on the ends to ensure an airtight fit; mouthpiece was fitted off to the side of the main tube, a feature which prevented the accidental inhaling of the dart; effective range was approximately ten meters

Fukiya

Japanese 

Pins and poison darts shot through a blowgun.

Full moon

Parrying weapon consisting of a steel ring attached to a handle with two curved blades fitted to either end; outer edges of the ring and the blades are sharpened

Fuller

Broad groove running down the center of each side of some sword blades (usually to make the sword lighter in weight, not to allow a "channel"for blood to drip off the sword as commonly thought)

Gada

Mace of wood with a stone head; normally the head is bound to the handle

Gaff

General 

A gaff was and still is a hand-held metal hook with a sharp tip used to latch onto an object, usually for the purposes of moving it. Most commonly, a gaff was a meathook used in pairs by butchers to move large slabs of meat. Farmers have also used gaffs in pairs to move bales of hay. Fishermen used a gaff attached to a long pole to help lift heavy catches from the water.

Gala

Sword with a carved wooden handle and no guard

Galraki

Axe with socketed iron head, attached to a wooden handle

Gambeson

European 

Sometimes used to refer to the aketon, the gambeson more commonly in the period referred to a quilted and decorated coat-armour of the late 14th century, worn over the breastplate, or alone.

Gamboised

A padded defense made of linen, flax or other fabric, sometimes reinforced and studded. Gamboised cuisses were often worn as an early addition to mail chausses during the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

Ganeugaodusha

Indian 

Deer-horn club

Ganjing

All iron club

Gardebras

European 

A full arm-harness, comprised of the couter, vambrace and rerebrace.

Gardner Machine Gun

Machine-Guns 

In 1879 the Gardner Machine Gun was demonstrated for the first time. A two-barrelled weapon operated by crank which loaded and fired each barrel in turn. The feed system was a grooved strip into which the rims of a box of cartridges could be slid, after which the box was removed. In public trials the gun fired 10,000 rounds in 27 minutes

Gargaz

Indian 

Mace with six to ten blades on the head made of steel, had padded hand guards, and sometimes were richly engraved

Garz

Indian 

All steel mace with no hilt; head is rather small and has many flanges

Gatling Gun

Machine-Guns 

In 1861 Richard Jordan Gatling, a trained dentist from North Carolina, produced an effective mechanical gun. The Gatling Gun consisted of six barrels mounted in a revolving frame. The United States Army purchased these guns in 1865 and over the next few years most major armies in Europe purchased the gun. The British Army tested it at Woolwich in 1870, and found that the 0.42 Gatling Gun fired 616 shots in two minutes. Of these, 369 hit their intended targets.

Gatlings

Small joint defense on a finger gauntlet, usually attached to a leather or canvas base by sewing or by rivets

Gauntlet

General 

An armoured glove, often formed of a single plate for the back of the hand, and smaller overlapping plates for the fingers, enabling them to move easily.

Ge

Chinese 

Dagger-axe

Genuillieres

Europe 

Plate pieces to protect the knee.

Gladius

Roman 

The Legions patterned their short swords after those of the Spanish Celts. The historian, Polybius, says they were introduced into the army during the second Punic War. The Gladius of Caesar's time until Tiberius had a slight curve in the edge of the blade. The Fulham type and the Pompeii type had edges which were completely parallel. This sword was intended as a thrusting weapon. This was the best way to use a sword in tight formation. Using the sword in a slashing motion would cause the soldier to open his side to attack. The Gladius was replaced by the traditional long swords of the barbarians in the late empire

Glaive/gisarme/sudlice

General 

(cz.,pol,Lith.) A pole weapon with a spear-like cutting blade, usually single-edged and relatively light. Commonly used on horseback by Lithuanian and late Byzantine cavalry.

Goddara

Turkish 

Sword with a curved blade and padded hilt; often highly decorated

Godentag

Flemish 

See Bill

Goliah

Indian 

Heavy sword with a padded hilt and spiked pommel; blade is often engraved and inlaid

Gorget

European 

A close-fitting plate defense for the neck, throat, and upper chest.

Goupillon

European 

Steel, three-pronged horseman's flail used; head could be spiked or plain

Great bascinet

Late 14th early 15th century version of the bascinet where the mail aventail was replaced with two steel plates, one in the front and one in back.

Great Helm/helmet

European 

The first helmet in the Middle Ages to be a fully closed, heavy helmet. Usually made of four or five iron plats riveted together, and worn over a mail coif, and sometimes a small steel skull-cap. Great helms first appeared in the last decade of the 12th century, and became wide-spread in the 13th and early 14th centuries. They remained the dominant form of tournament helmet into the Renaissance, becoming progressively heavier and more massive. After 1420, the helms came down to the shoulders and were bolted to the chest and back.

Great Sword

European 

Term for a sword that was sufficiently long and heavy that it required two hands. Usually designed for cutting, but later also modified for thrusting into the gaps of plate armor. The term "great-sword" has come to mean a form of long-sword that is still not the specialized weapons of later two-handed swords. Length was usually measured against the wielder's body - usually from somewhere between the diaphragm to the armpit. Blade shape could be flat and wide, or narrow and hexagonal, or diamond shaped. These larger swords were capable of facing heavier weapons such as pole-arms and larger axes, and were devastating against light armour.

Greaves

General 

Plate pieces to protect the shin and calf., usually in front, then later at the back as well.

Greek Fire

Roman 

The secret weapon of the Eastern Roman Emperors. It is said to have been invented by a Syrian Engineer, one Callinicus, a refugee from Maalbek, in the seventh century (673 AD). The "liquid fire" was hurled on to the ships of their enemies from siphons and burst into flames on contact. As it was reputed to be inextinguishable and burned even on water, it caused panic and dread. Its introducation into warfare of its time was comparable in its demoralizing influence to the introducation of nuclear weapons in our time. Both Arab and Greek sources agree that it surpassed all incendiary weapons in destruction. The secret behind the Greek fire was handed down from one emperor to the next for centuries. Rumors about its composition include such chemicals as liquid petroleum, naphtha, burning pitch, sulphur, resin, quicklimeand bitumen, along with some other "secret ingredient". The exact composition, however, remains unknown

Grenades

General 

Grenades first began being used in the 16th century. Originally they were hollow iron balls filled with gunpowder and ignited by a slow burning match. To be effective, soldiers had to be able to throw them over 100 feet and the tall, strong soldiers selected for this task became known as grenadiers.

Guard chain

European 

These chains were used to hold the sword and dagger or the great helm of a knight, in order not to lose them in battle.

Guige

European 

The strap which slings a shield from the shoulders or neck

Guisearme

General 

Also called the gisarme and bisarme. A medieval European polearm used predominantly between the 11th and 15th centuries, the guisarme had a long curved bladed edged on the concave side, with a slender spear point opposite it. The guisarme could be used to thrust at an oncoming opponent, slash, and even topple a rider

Gunbai

Japanese 

A rigid iron or wooden fan carried by generals in battle and used today by sumo referees as a symbol of authority.

Gunsen

Japanese 

Folding war fan with iron sticks used by the Japanese as a parrying weapon

Habergeon (haubergeon)

European 

Mail coat, smaller than a hauberk

Haces/Hache/Hachete

European 

War axe for infantry, used in one hand.

Hachiwara

Weapon normally consisted of a slightly curved, square-sectioned bar with a hook near the grip; used as a parrying weapon

Haik

Arab 

(hyke) large piece of woolen or cotton cloth worn by Arabs as an outer

Haketon

Leather jacket, sometimes reinforced with mail

Halab

Sword with a double- grooved blade and a padded hilt

Halasan

Sword with a cylindrical hilt made of horn and no guard

Halberd

European 

Long pole weapon, usually with an axe blade, a long spike (which could be relatively short for stabbing, or made long and edged like a sword blade), and a backspike. Used widely and to great effect against cavalry by the Swiss before they shifted to the pike.

Hammer

A weapon consisting of a hammer head on one side and a spike on the other, sometimes mounted on a short handle for use in one hand and other times mounted on a short shaft for use in foot combats. Warhammers and poleaxes were popularly used in judicial duels or in combats associated with points of honor.

Hammer of Kai

European 

See Lucerne Hammer

Hanbo

Japanese 

A three foot wooden staff.

Hand Axe

General 

The hand axe was a variation of the axe which probably found its first use as a hatchet or similar woodsman's tool. Normally carried as a secondary weapon, the hand axe was a good, fast fighting weapon which required no great skill or strength to employ. Being light, it wasn't as effective against an armored opponent as an axe or great axe were, but it was nonetheless a very versatile weapon.

Han-dachi

Japanese 

Japanese sword used with either one or two hands; fitted with a small, roughly circular hand guard; carried thrust into the belt with the blade facing upwards

Harness

European 

The common Medieval term for armour.

Hasta

Roman 

The hasta was the Roman trusting spear. It was carried by the units called triarii in Republic times. Marius military reforms made the pilum the standard spear carried by all legionaries

Hatchet

General 

Common woodcutter's tool; socketed metal head is attached to a wooden handle

Haubergen

European 

Shorter version of the hauberk, a shirt made of mail, usually laced down the sides

Haubergeon

European 

A hauberk with the long skirts removed, so that it ended between crotch and mid-thigh length, usually with a jagged-hem. The mail coat was worn in this form in the 14th and 15th centuries, usually under some form of plate defense.

Hauberk

European 

A long coat of mail, knee-length or longer, initially with half-sleeves, which by the 12th century, had extended to the wrist. Later, the hauberk sleeve became even closer fitting and ended in mail mittens called mufflers. Although there is a clear distinction between the hauberk and haubergeon, in early writings the two terms were used interchangeably. The hauberk of mail was the principle body armour of the 11th - 13th centuries.

Heater shield

General 

Semi-cylindrical shield with a flat top edge

Herebra

Phoenician 

Phoenician sword with a double-edged, leaf-shaped blade OR straight-bladed Bornean sword with a guardless wooden hilt

Hoeroa

General 

Whalebone club with a double-curved blade and carved handle

Hojutsu

Japanese 

The art of firearms or gunnery.

Holy water sprinkler

European 

Morningstar mace made of wood and having numerous spikes projecting from the head

Hoolurge

Axe/pick made of steel; often elaborately carved or engraved

Hora

Horn knuckle-duster

Horseman's hammer

War hammer made of iron or steel, used by mounted fighters

Hotchkiss Machine Gun

Machine-Guns 

Benjamin Hotchkiss was born in Watertown, Connecticut in 1826. He invented an improved type of cannon shell, a revolving-barrel machine gun (1872) and a bolt-action magazine rifle (1875).

Hotchkiss died in 1885 but his company continued to produce the machine-gun and in 1897 it was adopted by the French Army.

Houpelande

A garment common to nobility during end of the 14th century; characterized by long flowing sleeves, sometimes dagged in many interesting patterns. Often worn as court attire and later adopted in place of the surcoat, particularly in Germany during the late 14th century.

Howitzer

Artillery 

Howitzers fire heavy shells on a high trajectory through a short barrel

Hul-tho

Bladed rope

Hunga-munga

Hooked throwing knife; blade is double-edged, and the handle is covered in rawhide

Hurlbat

European 

Iron throwing axe

Ice pick

Small tool consisting of a thin metal spike fitted into a wooden handle

Iverapena

Paddle club made of hardwood and slightly pointed

Iwatajinga

Club consisting of a stone head attached to a wooden handle

Jack

European 

A cheap defensive coat of fabric or leather, with small plates sandwiched and stitched between its layers.

Jadagna

Club made of ironwood; sometimes fitted with a stone or metal spike in the head

Jambard

See Greaves

Japurunga

Wooden club with a double-pronged head

Javelin

General 

A short throwing spear, used as a shock weapon

Jaweti

Square-sectioned club made of hardwood

Jeddart Axe

European 

See Lochaner Axe

Jerkin

1. a short, close-fitting coat or jacket, often sleeveless, worn in the 16th and 17th centuries 2. a short, sleeveless vest worn by women and girls

Ji

Chinese 

Halberd

Jian

Chinese 

Mace

Jitte

Japanese 

Japanese parrying weapon consisting of an iron bar with a hook attached to one side; grip is often woven cord or leather

Jo

Japanese 

Wooden staff slightly longer than the katana

Jumgheerdha

Straight-bladed sword with a padded hilt and hand guard

Jupon

European 

A short, fitted surcoat, worn over armour in the 14th and early 15th centuries. Made of several thicknesses of fabric, the other layer was often a rich velvet or silk, with the owner’s arms embroidered or appliquéd on.

Jutte

Oriental 

A forked iron truncheon that can parry an attack by a sword.

Kabuto

Japanese 

The helmet worn by the Japanese samurai. It was made of iron or laquered leather, and was secured to the head by a series of silk cords.

Kadjo

Stone-headed axe; stone head consists of two parts attached to the wooden handle by tree resin; one of the stones is blunt and the other sharp so the tool can be wielded as either a hammer or an axe

Kagi yari

Japanese 

"Key spear." A hooked spear used for parrying and hooking an opponent's weapon. Like the jutte, it was useful to the police in making arrests.

Kaiken

Japanese 

"Short knife." A six-inch knife used by women of the samurai class.

Kalus

Whip commonly made of buffalo hide or rattan and fitted to a handle of wood

Kama

Sickle consisting of a tanged steel head fitted into a wooden handle; fighting style often utilizes two kamas, one in each hand

Kama yari

Japanese 

A spear to which a single-edged, sickle-shaped blade is attached.

Kamcha

Whip made of leather or cord attached to a wooden handle and often elaborately decorated

Kan sin ke

Chinese 

whipping chain made of short metal bars joined together with links; two-handed weapon

Kangaroo rat

Australian 

(weet-weet) slender, wooden throwing stick with conical points on each end; thrown by swinging it back and forth several times and then letting go with a under-hand jerk; effective range is about 25 meters

Kantschar

Steel Russian sword with a thin blade and drooping quillions

Kapak

Small throwing axe consists of a tanged metal head fitted into a flat wooden handle

Karabela

Turkish 

Turkish, and later Polish, sword consisting of a curved blade, short quillions and curved hilt; often this weapon was highly decorated

Kaskara

A straight, broad-bladed sword with a cross shaped hilt

Kasrullah

Club made of wood

Kastane

Sword often had European blades which were slightly curved and single-edged; handle, pommel, and ends of the quillions are carved in the form of monsters' heads; entire hilt is often made of silver or gold and inlaid with jewels

Katana

Japanese 

"Sword." A Japanese sword, with a curved, single-edged blade twenty-four to thirty-six inches long.

Katti

A heavy, curved single-edged blade attached to an unguarded hilt; carried unsheathed in the back from a belt

Kauah

Cylindrical stone throwing club

Kauw

Parrying weapon, usually used with one in each hand; a wooden staff with a sharp semicircular blade fitted to one end; metal hand guard consisting of two half-moon shaped blades connected by a crossbar

Kawanaga

Japanese 

Iron grapple attached to a long rope used to assist in climbing, tying up prisoners or a horse, or as an entanglement weapon; two handed if used as weapon

Keerli

Stone axe consists of a sharpened stone glued onto a wooden handle

Keibo

Japanese 

A wooden club used by the Japanese police.

Kerrie

Wooden or horn throwing stick; end is sometimes sharpened and used for stabbing

Kettle hat

European 

Open faced helmet type with a broad brim, nearly identical to the civil defense helmets of the 20th century, or those of English “doughboys” in the First World War. The kettle-hat was common defense from the 12th through 15th centuries.

Khanda

Sword consists of a curved blade with a broad, sometimes blunt, tip; hilt is padded; a spike on the end of the pommel acts as an arm guard and a grip for delivering two-handed blows

Kharga

Sacrificial axe made of steel and usually elaborately carved and engraved

Kheten

Egyptian 

Two-handed axe; bronze head was fitted into the wooden haft

Khopesh

Egyptian 

The khopesh (khopsh) was an ancient Egyptian weapon which first became popular beginning with the period when upper and lower Egypt were united under one pharaoh. The khopesh design was devastatingly effective and changed the development of edged weapons around the known world.

Its sickle-like blade could be edged either on the inside or outside curve, or both. The spine of the weapon (the strongest part of the blade, generally opposite the blade’s edge) was made to be heavier than the spine of most other swords. Edged to the outside, the weapon was extremely effective at creating slashing wounds. Edged to the inside, it was used for hacking an opponent. In either case, the heavy spine of the weapon and center of gravity centered along the blade instead of close to the hilt made the khopesh the most effective weapon of the period

Kiam bokiam

Chinese 

Fighting and parrying metal stick with a hand guard

Killj

Sword with a curved blade fitted with a pistol grip handle

Kirasoo

Indian 

Ironwood spiral throwing stick

Kirtle

1. a short skirt worn by women 2. a long gown or dress worn by women 3. a long tunic worn by men

Kiseru

Iron smoking pipe; also used to parry sword strikes, as well as deliver counter attacks against a foe because of its metal construction

Klappvisier

The first visored defense for the bascinet. The klappvisier featured a pointed (pignose) or rounded (roundnose) snout to deflect arrows and bolts and a raised area around the eyes. It first defended the area of the face not already defended by the aventail.

Kledyv

Welsh 

Ancient sword with a leaf-shaped blade

Klewang

Sword with a straight steel blade and an angled hilt; hilt is generally unguarded and carved

Knuckle duster

Iron bar with finger holes in it to give weight to a punch; similar to modern 'brass knuckles'

Knuckledusters

General 

Metal reinforcements worn on the hand designed to cause maximum damage in fist fighting

Kodachi

Japanese 

"Small sword." A forerunner of the wakizashi, that boasts a blade between twelve and eighteen inches.

Kodelly

Axe consisting of a socketed steel head attached to a wooden handle; normally used as protection against animals

Kojiri

Japanese 

The chape or end cap of the scabbard of a samurai sword.

Konnung

Straight, wooden stick from held in the center and used for stabbing

Kontos

Persian 

the large spear/lance that was used by for instance the Sassanid-Persians (and many other horse-people). The essential difference between "kontos" and "lance" is, that the latter can be used "couched". But of course that is only possible with stirrups

Kopis

Greek 

Known to the Greeks as the kopis and Romans as the falcata. The kopis sword was predominantly a cutting weapon, similar to a machaira, but with a convex cutting edge of the blade, much like the modern Ghurka kukri. Its heavy, curved blade was large enough to make it the ideal weapon for both infantry and cavalry.

Kotiate

Club that is elaborately carved; known to be highly prized heirlooms; were often given names by their owners; club was made of wood or whalebone and shaped somewhat like a violin

Kris

A double-edged, wavy-bladed knife/short sword designed primarily for thrusting

Kui Jia

Chinese 

Helmet and armor

Kujerong

Wooden club with a heavy, rounded end

kunai

Japanese 

A Kunai is an ancient kind of trowel, originated during the Tensho Era in Japan. The kunai was normally wrought of iron, not steel, cheaply forged and unpolished. The size of most kunai ranged from 20 cm to 60 cm, with the average at 40 cm. The kunai was used by common folk as multi-purpose gardening tools and by workers of stone and masonry. The kunai is not a knife, but something more akin to a wrecking bar. The blade was soft iron and unsharpened because the edges were used to smash plaster and wood, to dig holes and to pry. Normally only the tip would have been sharpened. The uses to which a kunai was put would have destroyed any heat-treated and sharpened tool like a knife.

Kunnin

Wooden throwing stick

Kusari fundo

Japanese 

A small chain with weighted ends.

Kusarigama

Japanese 

A chain-sickle weapon, noted for its efficiency in neutralizing the sword at long range.

Kyoketsu-shogi

Japanese 

Ninja parrying weapon; a rope connects a metal ring and a forked knife, could also be used to aid in climbing; used with both hands

Kyudo

Japanese 

KYUDO is Japanese bowmanship. It is one of the traditional BUDO (martial) arts developed from the military skills of the old times Japanese warrior, SAMURAI. Kyudo has the same speciality that lies in all the true martial arts. The development of the "self".

Laingtjat

Flail that consists of two wooden rods, one about half the length of the other, attached together by a short chain, often the shorter rod is sharpened

Lames

Narrow overlapping plates used to make the flexible parts of an armour

Lammellar

General 

Believed to have originated in Asia, a semi-rigid form of armour consisting of short metal plates pierced, overlapped, and laced together. Lammellar was used from Antiquity until the 20th century, but outside of Eastern Europe (and to a lesser extent, Scandinavia and Sicily) it was known, but never popular, in the West.

Lance/Lancea/Lançar(spa)

General 

A heavy spear used by cavalry, usually held under the arm ("couched") while charging.

Lancea

Roman 

Thrusting spear. It replaced the pilum as the primary weapon of the 3rd century AD on.

Lantern shield

Italian 

Shield weapon; consisted of a round buckler-type shield to which was attached a number of offensive weapons; handle projected from the inside of the forward edge of the shield which was grasped by the hand, protected by plate gauntlet; center of the shield was fitted with a projecting spike; also made with a fitting in front and the necessary hardware in back so a small lantern could be attached to it (lanterns used by some fencers in effort to dazzle opponents)

Lariat

1. rope lasso used to entrap and ensnare; used both hands 2. Indian parrying shield/weapon consisting of a leather or iron shield fastened over a curving pair of buckhorns which point in opposite directions of one another; often the horns are steel tipped

Lasso

General 

A lasso, rope with slip knot thrown over the head of the target. It is not only used by cowboys in the wild West but as well it's practical purpose with animals, it is an ancient weapon used by gladiators and the Huns of Attila

Latten

Brass, Bronze or a mixture of the two; generally a copper base metal with elements of tin or zinc plus other trace elements; often used to create armor with or to decor armor

Lebel 1886

Rifles and Pistols 

In 1886 the French Army introduced the Lebel rifle. It was the world's first modern, mass-produced magazine rifle. Another innovation was the use of smokeless gunpowder. The ammunition was contained in the tubular magazine beneath the barrel.

Lee Enfield Rifle

Rifles and Pistols 

The Lee-Enfield was first introduced in 1907 and by the outbreak of the First World War, was the British Army's main infantry weapon. It was estimated that the highly trained British Expeditionary Force that arrived in France in September 1914, were able to fire 15 rounds per minute. The Lee-Enfield could be aimed accurately over about 600 metres but could still kill someone over 1,400 metres away.

Leonile

Hardwood club

Lewis Gun

Machine-Guns 

The Lewis Gun, a light machine gun, was developed in the United States in 1911. At 12 kg it was far lighter than the Vickers Machine-Gun and in 1915 the British Army decided to purchase the gun for use on the Western Front. Another advantage of the Lewis is that six of these guns could be made in the time taken to produce one Vickers gun. Although too heavy for efficient portable use, it became the standard support weapon for the British infantry during the First World War.

Lil-lil

Australia 

Wooden fighting club usually elaborately carved

Lisan

Egyptian 

Club or throwing stick made of palm wood

Liu Ye Dao

Chinese 

Willow leaf saber

Lochaber Axe

Scottish 

The Lochaber Axe was a Scottish variation on the halberd design, first used around 1600. A formidable fighting weapon, the Lochaber Axe had a hook to the reverse side of the blade which was used when scaling walls. Care had to be taken not to fall on the tip of the axe once the climber reached the top of the wall. The sharp point at the top of the weapon could be used for thrusting while the long, undulating blade provided an excellent cutting and slashing edge. Additionally, the hook could be used to pull opponents off balance, off a mount, or as a disarming tool. For reference, the blade head on the weapon to the left is approximately 18 inches long.

Lohangi

Indian 

Mace consisting of a bamboo shaft bound with strips of iron below where the head is attached

Lohar

Small, steel fighting pick normally inlaid with silver and brass

Longbow

General 

The longbow is made of a single straight piece of wood such as yew. By tradition, the longbow is typically shot without a sight and without any other shooting aids. The same bow can be used by both right-handed and left-handed archers.

Longsword

European 

A sword that had the length of a greatsword, but which could be used in either one or two hands. Alternately called a "bastard sword", "hand and a half sword" or "war sword" of the 14th and 15th centuries. Between 4 - 4.5' long, and with an average weight of 3 - 4 lbs, the longsword was typically straight, double-edged, and with a simple cruciform hilt. It grew naturally out of the older, single-handed sword, as a means of combating heavier mail, and reinforced mail armour.

Lucerne Hammer

European 

The Lucerne Hammer was a polearm weapon which proved to be extremely effective at dismounting riders and smashing through armor. Named the Lucerne Hammer because vast numbers of the weapon were found stored in the armory at Lucerne, Switzerland, the weapon was wood-hafted with a metal head. Similar to the poleax and warhammer in design, the Lucerne Hammer was fitted with a four-pronged hammer head (shown here on the right side of the weapon) rather than a simple hammerhead or blade. Not particularly useful for slashing, the Lucerne Hammer was excellent for thrusting, smashing, and ripping open armor (even against a mounted opponent)

Luger Pistol

Rifles and Pistols 

George Luger developed a new automatic pistol. The Swiss Army was the first to officially adopt the Luger P.04 pistol. They were followed by the German Navy in in 1904 and the German Army in 1908. Produced by Deutsche Waffen und Munitions, the Luger Parabellum became the world's most widely used military handgun. The Luger fired a 7-round clip of 9mm ammunition.

Mabobo

Long, wooden club with a rounded head and squared handle

Macana

Club made of wood and having a rectangular section; the grip was covered with woven cane, and the head sometimes fitted with a stone blade; these clubs were sometimes thrown

Mace

General 

Rod or stick with a heavy weight at one end.

Mace & chain

European 

Flail consisting of a spiked metal ball attached to a wooden handle by means of a chain

Machera

Greek 

Bronze cutting sword with a straight single-edged blade; pommel was frequently in the form of an animal's head

Machine-Guns

Machine-Guns 

In 1884 Hiram Maxim invented the world's first automatic portable machine-gun. Maxim used the energy of each bullet's recoil force to eject the spent cartridge, insert the next and fire it. The machine-gun would therefore fire until the entire belt of bullets was used up.

Mail

General 

Type of armour formed of rings punched from a sheet of metal, or individually riveted together. A coat of mail could have over 20, 000 rings in it. Mail was flexible, and when properly belted, reasonably comfortable, but was insufficient protection against thrusts or concussive force, unless worn with heavy padding underneath. In the mid-13th century, the first additional plate defenses were added at the shin, elbows, and knees, but before the Hundred Years War (c.1338 - 1453) the knight was still essentially armoured in mail. By the end of the 14th century, mail was a primary body defence only for poor knights and common soldiers, but it continued to be used as skirts and armpit protection - areas that plates could not protect, throughout the period. Note, the term chain mail is an incorrect, Victorian, “invention.”

Main-gauche

European 

The left-handed, parrying dagger used with the rapier.

Mall/Maul

European 

A specialized, extremely heavy hammer-like mace used occasionally by English knights, particularly during the Hundred Years War.

Mandehi liguje

(coup stick) wooden spear

Mannlicher-Carcano

Rifles and Pistols 

In Austria Count Mannlicher developed a magazine rifle similar to the Mauser Gewehr. However, the Mannlicher rifle involved placing the clip with the cartridges into the magazine, a spring then pushing the cartridges up within the clip. When the last round was in the breech, the clip would fall through an aperture in the bottom of the magazine. In 1891 the Italian Army incorporated Mannlicher's ideas in the production of its Mannlicher-Carcano.

Manople

Gauntlet sword consisting of a double-edged blade with two short, curved side blades

Manor

1. a small holding, typically 1200-1800 acres, with its own court and probably its own hall, but not necessarily having a manor house; generally held by a knight 2. unit of rural lordship, varying greatly in size

Manpau

Head-hunting sword which has a tanged steel blade that is slightly curved; hilt was made of wood or deer horn, with no hand guard

Manriki-gusari

Metal parrying chain with weighted ends; used with one weight in each hand

Mantle

A loose, sleeveless cloak or cape

Mantling

Cloth decor suspended from a helmet, commonly illustrated in armorial artwork

Mao

Chinese 

Lance

Maquahuilt

Wooden club with obsidian blades set around its edges

Martel de fer

War hammer with a metal mallet shaped head attached to a wooden handle

Masakari

Battle-axe with a heavy metal head

Maschinengewehr

Machine-Guns 

The standard machine-gun used by the German Army during the early stages of the First World War was the Maschinengewehr. An almost direct copy of the Maxim Machine-Gun, the Maschinengewehr fired 7.92mm ammunition from a 250-round fabric belt. The German Army deployed over 12,000 of these machine-guns on the Western Front during August 1914. It had a practical range of 2,200 yards and an extreme range of 4,000 yards.

Masse

Club-like weapon most often used in tournaments

Massuelle

Small, all metal mace; normally had four blades on the head

Mattina

Wooden club with shark's teeth fitted into opposite sides of the head

Mattiobarbuli

Roman 

See Plumbatae

Mattock

General 

The mattock is a domestic/ agricultural tool used for digging and mining. It was also effective against armor when necessary -- actually, it was effective at crushing or piercing anything it hit. Mattocks were used almost exclusively by the poorer classes of Europeans when levied into military ranks during times of war. Like mauls, pitchforks, axes, and grain flails, mattocks were always readily available and much cheaper than swords. Shown here are fairly modern versions of socket headed mattocks.

Maul (or mallet)

A hammer-type weapon, with a heavy leaden head on a five-foot wooden shaft; usually made entirely of wood and used with two hands

Mauser Gewehr

Rifles and Pistols 

Peter Paul Mauser produced the Mauser Gewehr magazine-rifle in 1897. It was Germany's answer to the French Lebel M1888. It has been claimed that the Mauser Gewehr was the most successful bolt-action rifle ever designed.

Maxim Gun

Machine-Guns 

In 1881 the American inventor, Hiram Maxim, visited the Paris Electrical Exhibition. While he was at the exhibition he met a man who told him: "If you wanted to make a lot of money, invent something that will enable these Europeans to cut each other's throats with greater facility."

Maxim moved to London and over the next few years worked on producing an effective machine-gun. In 1885 he demonstrated the world's first automatic portable machine-gun to the British Army. Maxim used the energy of each bullet's recoil force to eject the spent cartridge and insert the next bullet. The Maxim Machine-Gun would therefore fire until the entire belt of bullets was used up. Trials showed that the machine-gun could fire 500 rounds per minute and therefore had the firepower of about 100 rifles.

Mazule

European 

Steel mace with a pear-shaped, multi-bladed head

Meat cleaver

General 

Butcher's tool for chopping meat; has a tanged metal blade fitted into a wooden handle

Meeri

Wooden club with two short spikes on the end

Mentok

Sword with a slightly curved blade and a guardless wooden hilt

Menuki

Japanese 

Hilt ornaments of a samurai sword.

Merai

Maori 

Jade club; usually consisted of one to three metal heads attached to a wooden handle by chains

Messer-Langesmesser/Parasztkés(hung)

European 

"Long knife" or "peasant knife," this weapon was a single-edged sword, usually with a very slight curve and a long crosspiece.

Metacarpal

Defense for back of the hand, usually a part of a gauntlet

Metsubishi

Japanese 

Designed to blind an enemy; small, wooden box, either round or square, which was hollowed out and could be opened; either end of the flat box was fitted with a mouthpiece and a short tube; substances put into the box depending on desired outcome- ground pepper and dust could blind

Mi

Japanese 

The blade of a knife or sword.

Miao Dao

Chinese 

Sword with a long curved blade and a short hilt wielded with both hands.

Mills Bomb

Artillery 

In 1915, a grenade developed by William Mills, a Birmingham engineer, began to be used by British troops. The bomb had a central spring-loaded firing-pin and and spring-loaded lever locked by a pin. Once the Mills Bomb was in the air, the lever flew up and released the striker, which ignited a four-second time fuse, allowing the thrower to take cover before it exploded. When the grenade went off the cast-iron casing shattered producing a shower of metal fragments.

The grenade developed by Mills soon became very popular with British soldiers and remained in short supply until the end of 1916. By the time the Armistice was signed, more than 33 million Mills Bombs had been issued to soldiers in the British Army.

Miner's axe

European 

Axe consisting of a socketed steel head fitted onto a wooden handle; often elaborately decorated and carried as symbols of rank

Misericorde

European 

From the word “mercy.” A straight, narrow dagger, commonly seen on knightly effigies. It was so-called because it was often used to give the final “mercy” stroke to the mortally wounded.

Mongwanga

Iron throwing knife

Morion

European 

A late form of helmet (c. 1570 - 1650) with a strongly curved brim and high “comb” on top. Associated in popular imagination with the Spanish Conquistadores, the style actually developed after Spain’s initial conquests in the Americas.

Morning star

1. form of mace, consisting of a spiked metal ball attached by a chain to a short metal shaft 2. Five foot long club, its head studded with iron spikes

Morning Star/Morgenstern(germ)

European 

See Flail, also a long spiked club, popular in the 16th century and used extensively by the Habsburgs.

Mugdar

Thick, lead-weighted, wooden club

Muragugna

Wooden club with a deeply grooved head

Nagan

Sword with a serrated edge; hilt is padded and fitted with a spiked pommel

Nagegama

Japanese 

1. iron chain weapon that consists of a short sickle-like blade attached to a short handle which the chain is attached; thrown down upon attackers and then drawn up by the chain; two handed weapon 2. small metal throwing rod or knife 3. throwing iron resembling a small axe head

Naginata

Japan 

Long bladed and handled pole arm.

Nawaz khani

Indian 

Slightly curved sword with a disk pommel and reinforced back

Nil-li

Wooden club with a grooved striking head; end is pointed for use in stabbing

Novacula

Sickle-like tool consisting of a tanged, iron head fitted into a wooden handle

Nunchaku

Grain thresher, or flail, used both as a weapon of defense and offense; consists of two short wooden sticks joined together at one end by a short length of rope, leather or chain; normally a two- handed weapon

Onager

Roman 

Roman Ballista, so named after a wild ass because of the way it kicked back upon firing. It was most common in the armies in the mid 4th century AD. Since they were so large and slow to move the onagri were most suited for sieges. The length of the sling on the end of the arm could be adjusted to affect the trajectory of the stone.

Oncin

One-sided pick which has a socketed metal head fitted into a wooden handle and was used with both hands

Ox mace

Mace made of metal; head was shaped like that of an ox's and often had holes in the nostrils so that it whistled when swung

Ox-tongue spear

Swiss 

Also called the Langdebeve and Langue de Boeve (both mean tongue of the ox). The ox-tongue spear was a polearm weapon common among the Swiss and French from the 15th to the 17th centuries. It had a long double-bladed head and was named for its resemblance to the tongue of an ox. While it was named a spear, it was a polearm weapon. The ox-tongue design developed into the partisan polearm by the mid 16th century.

Pacho

South Pacific 

(tebutje) wooden club from the South Pacific with shark teeth edges

Pagaya

Brazil 

Wooden, paddle-shaped club from Brazil

Pahisa

Sword with a broad, double-edged blade which widens at the tip

Pahu

New Zealand 

Wooden club

Pair of Plates

European 

A body defense, with larger plates than a standard coat-of-plates, but still not a solid breastplate.

Pakayun

Curved sword with a forked wooden pommel; blades were generally elaborately engraved

Palache

17th century sword with a slightly curved blade and curved quillions; often highly decorated with gold and silver

Pantaloons

A bifurcated garment for a man, covering the body from the

Pappenheimer

European 

Cut-and- thrust sword developed in the 17th century; hilt consisted of a pair of oval guards pierced with holes, recurved quillions, and a knuckle guard

Parang bedak

Sword with a butcher knife-shaped blade and a guardless hilt

Parang nabur

Sword with a metal blade and bone hilt; quillions and knuckle guard are made of brass or iron; hilt is generally highly ornamental

Parang pandit

Sword with a straight double-edged blade and bent hilt

Pareh

Stone axe in which head is attached to wooden handle by plant resin

Patu

Short club made of basalt, bone, or jade

Pauldron

European 

Plate armour for the shoulders, devised of several, overlapped and articulated plates.

Pavise

European 

A shield for infantry with a long central spine. Usually rather large.

Pedang

Malayan 

Straight-bladed sword with a cross guard

Pendjepit

Metal combat pincers used to grab, twist, and tear the flesh of an enemy

Periperiu

Australia 

Long wooden club with a blunt striking end

Pernat

Russian 

Mace consisting of an iron bead attached to a wooden handle

Petjut

Whip/flail consists of a wooden handle with a shirt length of leather thong tipped with a ball of knotted leather or sometimes a metal sphere fastened at the end

Peudeneng

Thin-bladed, curved bladed sword with a L-shaped hilt

Phasganon/xiphos

Greek 

Classic Greek weapon, a straight-bladed and double-edged. cut-and-thrust sword.

Pick

General 

The pick was originally a mining weapon used to break apart rocks and earth. Military picks, generically termed fighting picks, were developed to pierce through chain mail and light armor. The pick was most popular during medieval Europe when these types of armor were extensively worn.

Pike

General 

Long spear with small iron head

Pilum

Roman 

The pila were quite unique in design. These javelins were designed to warp after impact, so they would drag down an enemy's shield, sometimes pinning two of them together. The average pilum was 1.8 meters long. It had a barbed iron shaft connected to the wooden pole in a weighted socket. A lead ball weight was added to further increase the throwing distance in the late half of the 2nd century AD. Pilum were used until the late empire

Plancon a Picot

European 

A polearm used as a thrusting weapon comprising a shaft with a spear of more than 1 metre

Plaque belt

Military belt formed from interlocking metal plates or metal plates riveted to a leather base

Plate

A general term for iron defenses fashioned from sheet iron or steel. "Plate"defenses were during the Middle Ages first introduced during the late 13th century, first as reinforcing for mail defenses and later as defenses on their own.

Plombee

European 

Lead-weighted mace with a wooden handle

Plumbatae

Roman 

Hand-thrown lead weighted darts carried by the infantry. They were rather expensive to produce, but they allowed the infantry to effectively double as missile troops

Po Dao

Chinese 

A broad sword with a long blade and a short hilt wielded with both hands

Podang

Sword with a curved blade and a steel hilt with cross guards

Polearm

General 

The general term for a group of pole-mounted weapons usually featuring a cutting or slashing weapon on one end. The halberd, guisarm, bill, bec-de-corbin, and poleaxe are all specific kinds of polearms.

Poleyn

European 

Plate armour for the knee.

Pommel

General 

Weight on the handle of a sword, used to balance the weapon and for striking ("Pummelling").. Pommels came in a variety of shapes: disks, balls, brazil-nuts, crescents, a sort of mushroom cap, etc., and changed in popularity as much with changes in fashion sense as martial usage

Poni

Wooden club usually fitted with a woven cord grip

Pourpoint

European 

Originally a coat armour, substituting in this function the cotte d'armes for a while in the fourteenth century. It was tight, fitting, cut without sleeves and was shorter than the hauberk worn under it.

Pouwhenua

Wooden staff flattened on one end and pointed on the other

Pugio

Roman 

The legionaries carried a dagger starting in the 2nd or 1st centuries BC. During the rein of Augustus the gladius was carried on one belt and the pugio hung on another. By the 2nd century AD daggers were no longer issued

Puhah bemoh

Two-handed sword with a long steel blade and two hand guards

Puiouar

Indian 

Heavily curved sword with a metal hilt

Purijimala

Australian 

Wooden club

Qiang

Chinese 

Spear

Qiao

Chinese 

Scabbard

Quaddara

Persian 

Straight-bladed sword, often inlaid with gold; hilt is of horn with no guard

Quadrelle

Small mace with four blades

Quarterstaff

General 

The quarterstaff is the simplest form of the polearm weapon in medieval Europe. It was simply a long wooded pole. Not particularly effective in a fight against an opponent in armor or wielding anything other than a wooden weapon, the quarterstaff was an excellent weapon for travelers as it doubled both as a walking staff and as a deterrent against brigands. The quarterstaff was used more in fencing and brawling than melee combat, as demonstrated by the two sissies above.

Quillons

European 

A Renaissance term for the cross-guard.

Quirriang-an-wun

Throwing club similar to a boomerang

Quoit

Indian 

Steel mace with a bead head of a heavy quoit and fitted with a hand guard

Rang-kwan

Wooden club used primarily by women; long and is pointed at both ends

Rante

Whipping chain designed to entangle an opponent's weapon or ensnare the legs or arms; usually a two-handed weapon

Rante ber gangedug

Whipping chain with a T-shaped handle on one end and a sharpened metal rod on the other; parrying weapon designed to entangle an opponent's weapon or ensnare legs or arms

Rapier

European 

A long, double-edged, slender bladed, single-handed sword, designed to emphasize the thrust. Rapiers first appeared in the mid-16th century, and were used through the next century. The rapier may be the first, purely civilian sword, devised. The exact origins of the rapier are still debated between Italy or Spain, but in either case, its popularity grew with the new, deadly “fad” of the duel (one no doubt directly influencing the other) and it began the process towards an exclusively thrust-oriented form of swordplay, which would see its final martial evolution in the smallsword of the Enlightenment.

Rebated

General 

A sword that has had its point and edge blunted for training or tournament.

Recurve bow

General 

Unlike the longbow, the ends of an unstrung recurve bow are curved away from the archer. This allows the strung bow to be more powerful and shorter than the longbow - ideal for the horsemen who invented it! Unlike the longbow, a one-piece recurve is made of several thin laminations fixed together in the recurved shape rather than one piece of straight wood.

Although one-piece recurve bows are used, particularly for field shooting, most modern recurve bows are made in three pieces - a body (called a riser) with two detachable limbs that fit into each end. These are called takedown bows. The riser is made of wood or lightweight metal alloy cast into shape or machined from a block of metal.

Reiterpallasch

Danish 

cavalry sword with a straight blade and guarded hilt

Rerebrace

European 

Armour for the upper arm.

Rhomphaia

Thracian 

A blade attached to a long handled pole similar to the Falx

Ricasso

European 

The unsharpened portion of the sword blade nearest the hilt.

Riveting

General 

The process of joining two pieces of metal with a rivet (a headed pin) by passing the shank through a hole in each piece and then beating down the plain end so as to make a second head as a fastener. The process was used in jewellery instead of soldering, when it was not practicable to apply heat or when one part was to be left flexible for swivelling. The rivets are of the same metal as the piece

Rondel dagger

European 

A military dagger with he pommel and hand-guard formed of roundels. The dagger was often 18” long or more, with a single-edged, or even triangular, blade.

Roundel

Round metal attachment at the base of a polearm to keep the hands from sliding down the shaft and onto the blade

Rucksack

A kind of knapsack strapped over the shoulders

Rungu

Club generally made of one piece of wood; handle was generally sharpened so it could be used as a stabbing weapon as well as a club

Sa tjat koen

Malayan 

Wooden three-sectioned flail; used with both hands

Sabar

Indian 

Steel pick

Sabaton

European 

Articulated, steel foot armour.

Sabia/Szablya(hung)/Säbel(germ)

European 

Sabre

Saboton (also called solleret)

1. an armored, pointed shoe 2. armor for the foot usually consisting of plates ending in a toecap 3. armor for the foot made of plate, mail, or other metal

Sai

Japanese 

parrying baton; an iron bar with a leather covered grip and two small side hooks mounted parallel to the bar; some sai had blades; often used in pairs

Saintie

Indian 

Steel parrying weapon; metal spear with a hand guard mounted in the center; some had a small thrusting dagger concealed in the shaft

Salade/Sallet

European 

A helmet of the 15th and 16th centuries, often with a small, hinged visor, and a long, articulated tail, to protect the back of the neck. Variants existed for both footsoldiers and men-at-arms.

Sallet

A light, rounded helmet with projecting neckguard and, often, a visor, worn in the 15th century

Sansetsukon

China 

A Chinese weapon consisting of three rods connected by chain or rope

Sapakana

Hardwood club

Sapola

Indian 

Sword with a curved blade and a forked point; pommel is decorated with the figure of a griffin

Sappara

Assyrian 

The sappara was an ancient Assyrian (middle east) weapon forged most often of bronze attached to a wooden hilt. The sappara closely followed the Egyptian khopesh in both form and function, although the sappara was edged only on the convex edge of the blade.

Sarissa

Greek 

Pike; Macedonian heavy thrusting spear used by both mounted troops and infantry.

Sassanid

Straight single edged sword; unguarded straight hilt made of horn

Sauscitwerter

European 

Hunting weapon normally used by the nobility; consisted of a hand-and-a-half hilt; could be used with one or two hands if necessary

Savage

Axe that generally carried as a symbol of rank

Sax/Saex

Saxon 

A long, heavy single-edged knife favored by the Nordic peoples, with a recognizable modern descendant in the Bowie knife. The Saxon race is said to have taken its name from this weapon, which originally meant stone. Some saxes could be as much as three feet long, and hilted like swords.

Saya

Japanese 

The scabbard of a samurai sword.

Scabbard

General 

A sheath for a sword or dagger. Most scabbards were made of thin wood, lined with felt of sheepskin, and covered in leather.

Scale armour

Small rectangular plates of metal, attached to a leather or linen coat, lighter and more flexible than mail

Scbnepfer

Swiss 

Slightly curved sword with a broad hand guard and a knuckle guard

Schestopjor

Mace with a many-bladed metal head

Schiavona

European 

A form of agile Renaissance cut & thrust sword with a decorative cage-hilt and distinctive "cat-head" pommel. So named for the Schiavoni or Venetian Doge’s Slavonic mercenaries and guards of the 1500’s who favored the weapon. They are usually single edged back-swords but may also be wide or narrow double edged blades. Some have ricasso for a fingering grip while others have thumb-rings. The Schiavona is often considered the antecedent to other cage hilt swords such as the Scottish basket-hilted "broadsword".

Scimeter

Broad-bladed curved sword with a small cross guard

Scimitar

Middle East 

Curved sword. Originally from Syria. Characterized by a broad, curved blade ending in a uniquely upturned point

Scorpio

Roman 

Roman Ballista. It threw a bolt 27 inches long (67cm). As it would have been impossible to find feathers large enough to provide stability to these over-sized arrows, so the flights were made of leather or wood. The iron points were pyramid shaped. The hand cranks at the rear were used to winch the arrow, or bolt, back to the firing position

Scutum

Roman 

Rectangular Roman shield

Sego

Metal parrying weapon; used to strike against the arms and head of the enemy

Senangkas bedok

Malayan 

Slightly curved sword with wide grooves in the blade

Seppa

Japanese 

The washers above and below the tsuba of a samurai sword.

Shakujo yari

Wooden staff with a removable and hidden straight, double-edged steel blades; requires both hands to use

Shamshir

Persian 

The shamshir was originally a Persian sword but variations of it drifted east into India and west into Turkey as well. The shamshir was a curved, thick bladed, single edged weapon with a very distinctive curved-back hilt. Used primarily for slashing afoot and mounted, it could also be thrust well. Some versions of the shamshir had flamboyant blade styles similar to the flamberge

Shashpar

Indian 

Steel mace with six blades and fitted with a hand guard

Shashqa

Consists of a slightly curved single-edged blade fitted into an unguarded hilt

Sheaf arrow

Heavy armour piercing arrow used by longbowmen at close range

Shi Ba Ban Bing Qi

Chinese 

18 kinds of weapons including Dao, Qiang, Jian, Ji, Gun, Bang, Shuo, Tang, Fu, Yue, Chan, Pa, Bian, Jian, Chui, Cha, Ge, Mao

Shi Ba Ban Wu Yi

Chinese 

Skill in wielding the 18 kinds of weapons

Shield

General 

A defensive devise that came in a variety of shapes and sizes, made of leather-covered wood or metal, and hung from the arm by a series of straps, or gripped by a handle.

Shinai

Japan 

Bamboo practice weapon , used in Kendo training to simulate the Katana

Shinobi-zue

Wooden staff with a concealed blade fitted on the end; two-handed weapon

Shoka

African 

Battle-axe; triangular metal bead is fitted into a hardwood handle by means of a short narrow tang

Short Sword

General 

Short sword is a term descriptive of the size of sword rather than a particular type of sword itself. The term short sword didn’t become commonly popular until the early middle ages when the standard sword length grew. A short sword is generally any bladed weapon longer than a dagger but shorter than a longsword. For example, the Roman gladius and Greek kopis are referred to as short swords but both have particular names of their own. Throughout history, short swords have been popular as both primary weapons and back-up weapons. Warriors not quite strong enough to wield a large sword carried them; the lighter weight of the weapon made it very effective in a close quarters melee. Spearmen and archers often carried short swords as a secondary weapon, should they have to close with and fight their opponents.

Shotel

Sword with a double-edged blade which had a diamond-shaped cross section; the extreme curvature of these swords made them nearly useless except for cuffing attacks

Shou Dao

Chinese 

Hand sword

Shuang Dao

Chinese 

Double or paired swords

Shuang Jian

Chinese 

Double or paired double-edged swords

Shuko

Iron palm guards with spikes on the palms for use with climbing; also used to parry sword strikes

Shuo

Chinese 

Extra long spear

Shuriken

Metal knife or star

Siangkam

Long metal arrowhead attached to wooden handles; used in pairs for thrusting and slashing

Sickle

Mace made of steel; striking head is a heavy curved blade and thus the weapon resembles the various ancient sickle swords

Sights

European 

The ‘eye slot’ in a helmet’s visor. Also called occularium.

Silepe

Axe consisting of a wide blade which is connected to the wooden handle by a flat tang; wooden handle is sometimes reinforced by wire coils

Singa

Steel boomerang

Sirohi

Straight-bladed sword with a padded hilt, slightly curved examples exist also; often these weapons were highly decorated

Siwalapa

Wooden club with a small cylindrical handle and a square striking head

Skeggox

Viking 

"bearded axe" had a blade drawn down like a beard. They are dated early as the 8th century, and it is presumed that they were first used, like many early weapons, as farm implements and found their way into battle.

Skull

Crown of the helmet; the central defense for the upper portion of the head

Slung shot

(sap, or blackjack) club weapon consists of a lead weight with a flexible leather cover handle woven over it

Small-Sword

European 

Sometimes known as a "court-sword", a "walking-sword", or "town-sword", small-swords developed in the late Renaissance as a personal dueling tool and weapon of self-defense. Most popular in the 1700's it is sometimes confused with the rapier. It consisted almost exclusively of a sharp pointed metal rod with a much smaller guard and finger-rings. Its blade was typically a hollow triangular shape and was much thicker at the hilt. Most had no edge at all, and were merely rigid, pointed, metal rods. They were popular with the upper classes especially as decorative fashion accessories, worn like jewelry. In a skilled hand the small sword was an effective and deadly instrument. Until the early 1800s it continued to be used even against older rapiers and even some cutting swords. It is the small-sword rather than the rapier which leads to the epee and foil of modern sport fencing.

Sodang

Malay 

Broad-bladed sword without a hand guard

Sopok

1. wooden blowpipe with an iron spearhead attached to the end; used with two hands 2. shield weapon; small metal shield protecting the forearm to which was fitted a blade or spike

Sosunpattah

Sword with a straight blade and a spiked pommel; often highly decorated with engravings

Spada

Italian 

Italian for sword.

Spadroon

European 

Cut-and-thrust sword with a light, flexible blade; double-edged near the point

Sparte

Battle-axe consists of a broad socketed head fitted onto a wooden handle

Spatha

Roman 

The Roman long (36”), cavalry sword. One of the origins of the “knightly” sword, and the Latin origin for spada, espada and espee. It was the sword used by the cavalry. The blade was much longer than the gladius and was used for slashing. The large numbers of barbarians serving in the legions used the spatha in the late empire. It was ideal because the spatha did not require the same skill and training needed to properly wield a gladius

Spaulder

14th and 15th century defense for the shoulder, featuring a small dished defense for the shoulder point and a number of lames extending down the arm

Spear

General 

Spears are basically any weapon with a wooden shaft and pointed tip used exclusively for thrusting and throwing; the spear is more a category than a particular weapon design. Simple wooden spears have been around since the beginning of human history. Spear points have been made of every conceivable material which can be edged or pointed: wood, stone, bone, animal spines, and metal. Throwing spears were generally very long while thrusting spears tended to be shorter. The basic spear, when used for thrusting, was the ancestor of all weapons in the polearm group (the idea being to fight your enemy at arm’s length or greater).

Spetum

European 

Also referred to as the corseca, corsèsque, korseke, runka, rawcon, ranseur, and chauve souris (each of these weapons were very minor variations on the spetum design). The spetum is a polearm weapon similar to the ox-tongue spear, bill, and partisan. It consisted of a broad blade sharpened on two sides with smaller blades protruding from the left and right of the center blade. The weapon could be thrust or used for slashing. Many varieties of this weapon existed across Europe, hence the similar shape but different names for them all.

Spine sword

Indian 

Sword with a comb-like spring blade

Sporran

Scottish 

Large purse or pouch usually made of leather or animal fur, attached to waist in front of the kilt when in full dress

Springfield Rifle

Rifles and Pistols 

The first Springfield musket, the M1795, was produced for the United States military in 1795. Following the Spanish-American War in 1898, Erskine Allin, the Superintendent of the Springfield Arsenal, developed the M1903. The bolt-action magazine rifle, an adaptation of the Mauser Gewehr, was used by the United States Army during the First World War. The M1903 rifle remained the US standard rifle until 1936. However, because of production problems with the M1A1, it was also used during the Second World War. Snipers also preferred using the rifle all the way through the Korean War.

Stechtarsche

German 

Small ribbed shield laced to the left shoulder; sometimes these shields were made of cuirboille, painted, or gold leafed

Stiletto

European 

The stiletto was a European thrusting dagger first developed in Italy. The entire weapon was usually forged of a single piece of steel. The blade was long, narrow, and triangular or rectangular sectioned without a cutting edge. Adept at inflicting deep puncture wounds and even piercing light armor, the stiletto was a popular secondary weapon for soldiers and citizens alike. The stiletto was particularly popular among assassins because of its narrow width and ease of concealment

Studded and Splinted Armour

European 

A term sometimes given to the transitional armour of the 14th century, in which a variety of rigid materials was riveted in strips or plates to the inside of heavy fabric or leather coverings.

Suan-tou-fung

Chinese 

Metal mace with globular head

Sugarloaf

A transition helmet between the heaulm and the bascinet, where the skull of the helmet was pointed like a bascinet and the sides enclosed like a heaulm.

Sultani

Indian 

Slightly curved sword with a hand guard

Surai

Sword with a curved tip and spiked pommel

Surcoat

European 

A long, tunic-like, cloth garment worn over the armour, in a variety of forms, from the 1170s to the 1420s. The early surcoat was almost heel length, and progressively became shorter and tighter-fitting. Surcoats served a variety of purposes. Firstly they kept a certain amount of rain and dirt off of the armour. Secondly, they provided a screen to keep the metal armour from the sun’s heat. Third, they became a background for the display of the wearer’s coat of arms.

Taavish

Stone axe with the wooden handle carved at the end to represent a man's head; stone blade is fitted into the handle and represents the tongue

Tabard

European 

A simple garment, similar to a surcoat, slit down the sides, with the front and back held together by ties which could be drawn tight or left loose. Tabards were used in tournaments to display the knights’ heraldry in the late 15th century, and survive today as the elaborate garments worn by officers of the English College of Heralds on ceremonial occasions.

Tabar-i-zin

Large two handed axe; socketed metal head fitted onto a wooden shaft

Taber

Steel battle-axe

Tachi

Japanese 

Japanese long sword worn slung from a sword belt. Like the katana, the tachi had a single-edged curved blade

Tailbon

Sword with a tanged blade fitted into a carved wooden handle with a cane grip

Takieh

Short sword with a slightly curved blade and a broad pommel which could be used as a crutch; often these weapons were highly decorated

Takouba

Straight, double-edged sword with no guard; its hilt is fitted with a crosspiece below the pommel

Talwar

India 

Also called the tulwar, the talwar was a curved steel sword from India very similar in design and function to the scimitar and shamshir. It was an excellent slashing weapon with a sharp tip that could also be used for thrusting when necessary. Many remaining talwars have intricately carved blades which depict family histories, great battles, and the like

Tam

Scottish 

(tam-o'shanter, tammy) woolen cap

Tambara

Wooden club with two to four prongs at the end

Tang

Chinese 

Double-daggered axe

Tan-kiev

Metal, sword-like parrying weapon; square-sectioned metal bar with a swordlike hilt

Tanto

Japanese 

A Japanese dagger with a blade eight to sixteen inches long and carried by the samurai in addition to the katana

Taper

European 

Axe; socketed metal bead fitted onto a wooden handle

Targe

European 

A targe ("targa" or Italian "rondella") was a small wooden shield with a leather cover and leather or metal trim. Some later Renaissance versions were made entirely of steel. Targets were worn on the arm as with typical shields. They were also usually flat rather than convex. The "targe" actually comes from small "targets" placed on archery practice dummies.

Target

European 

A round shield, mounted on the arm, used throughout history. Most targets were large (30 - 36”) and made of wood, but in the Renaissance, a smaller (24” diameter), steel version became popular.

Tasak(pol.)/Tesak(cz.)/Tisak(rus)/Dussack(germ)

European 

Similar to the Messer, a weapon that stood somewhere between a long knife (given the standards of the day) and a short sword, almost always single-edged and slightly curved.

Tashi

Curved sword which is essentially the same the katana, differences between the two are the fittings and the way they are worn - tashi is hung from the belt with the edge downward and the katana is thrust into the belt with the edge upward

Tasset (taces)

15th century defense for the hips that attached to the fauld; usually a plate of iron or steel, often featuring one or more fluted ribs and a thick rolled edge for strength

Tassets

European 

Overlapping plates that cover the juncture of hip and thigh in a full suit of plate armour.

Tebutje

Could be used as a sword or a club; made of light wood with shark teeth attached onto the edges of the club

Tebutje-pacho

Heavy wooden club usually with obsidian or shark teeth edge for slashing; two-handed weapon

Tetsubishi

Japanese 

A four-pointed caltrop used by the ninja to slow down a pursuer. No matter which way a tetsubishi landed one sharp point always protruded upward

Tetsubo

Japanese 

"Iron staff." A weapon used by the samurai from either a horse-mounted or ground position

Tewha-tewha

Wooden club with a long, tapering shaft and a quarter-circle shaped bead at one end; feathers were hung from the head to flick them in the face of an enemy in effort to confuse him

Thin axe

European 

Piercing axe

Thinin

Broad-bladed sword with an unguarded hilt; a European thrusting sword with a diamond-sectioned blade

Three sectional staff

China 

A Chinese weapon consisting of three rods connected by chain or rope.

Thrusting axe

European 

Axe with head that has a long point extending up for use in thrusting attacks

Tie Ji Li

Chinese 

Caltrop

Tiger Claw

India 

The tiger claw is one of the most fierce hand weapons ever created for use against an un-armored opponent. From India, its proper name is the bagh nakh (references to it as the wagh nakh also exist). The bagh nakh consists of a metal bar with three to five sharp, curved blades extending from the base of the bar. The pinkie and forefingers slip through the rings, allowing the wielder to grasp the bar firmly in the palm.

Tiglun

Club-like dagger made of ivory; might have been used by Eskimos

Tindil

Wooden club

Tjabang

Metal parrying weapon similar to the Sai

Toki Kakauroa

Maori 

Fighting axe; usually with elaborately carved bone or wood handle

Tomahawk

North American Indian 

Combat axe and pipe; usually has a narrow iron blade fitted with a pipe bowl opposite the blade, wooden handle is hollow and forms the pipe stem

Tonfa

Wooden rice husking tool; as combat weapon it could block attacks when rested along the forearm; also used to jab or club

Tongia

Axe with socketed iron head and a semicircular blade attached to a wooden handle; sometimes used as a missile

Toporok axe

Russian 

Battle-axe

Torpedo

Artillery 

Self-propelled underwater missile launched from a tube located on the deck or inside the hull of a warship. The man who invented the first torpedo was Captain David Bushnell, who tried it out in New York Harbour in 1776. Bushell named it after the torpedo fish, a ray with an electric apparatus for killing its prey. Bushnell's torpedo comprised an explosive charge fixed to an enemy hull and was set-off by a clockwork fuse. These early torpedoes were stationary devices which exploded against vessels and were later classified as mines.

Torse

A colorful cloth worn around the crown of the helmet, from which the mantling was attached (used from the 13th century through the 15th, torses and mantling helped to identify knights in war and provided a colorful expressive tool for tournaments and pageants of the 15th century)

Trebuchet

General 

The trebuchet was a counterpoise siege engine that derive from Roman and Greek prototypes. The Arabs probably adopted it by the end of the 17th century. In 1147 these weapons seem to have been used by the crusaders at the siege of Lisbon. This early form was the traction trebuchet, also sometimes confusingly styled as the "mangonel." Basically the machine consisted of a long beam (or set of beams bound together) pivoted between a pair of uprights. Ropes were attached to one end of the beam and sling to the other. A stone was placed in the sling and a group of men hauled on the ropes and so pivoted up the longer end of the beam. At critical moments the sling opened and released its missile.

Trident

General 

Tridents were polearm weapons based on the agricultural tool, the pitchfork. Employed exclusively for thrusting, the trident provided a broader surface area upon which to skewer an opponent than did a spear. Variations of the trident design existed in almost all cultures where polearms were used in war. The trident was most famous for its use in the Roman gladitorial arenas.

Trombash

Wooden throwing stick with an angled end

Truncheon

1. a short, thick staff, similar to a policeman's baton 2. European club made of wood

Tschekan

Russian 

War hammer with a steel head

Tsuba

Japanese 

The guard of a samurai sword.

Tsuka

Japanese 

Handle of a samurai sword.

Tuagh-gatha

Scottish 

Battle-axe

Tungi

Fighting axe with socketed steel head attached to a short wooden handle

Tunic

A loose, gownlike garment worn by men and women in ancient Greece and Rome 2. a blouselike garment extending to the hips or lower, usually gathered at the waist, often with a belt

Two-handed sword

General 

A specialized type of great sword that became popular in the 16th century. The size and weight of the weapon, made it unsuited for close formation fighting, and its use was reserved for banner defense, guarding breeches in siege warfare, and forming skirmish lines. The grip was very long in proportion to the blade, and the overall sword could be 5 1/2’ - 6’ long.

Uchi-ne

1. short throwing dart made of wood with a metal head 2. wooden throwing club

Udlimau

Fighting adze of hardwood, had a stone point fixed with resin on the head

Uramanta

Throwing stick made of wood

Vambrace

European 

Armour guarding the forearm.

Veecharoval

Indian 

Scythe-type weapon consisting of a curved, metal blade attached to a wooden handle

Venmuroo

Battle-axe consisting of a tanged, steel head fitted into an ebony wood shaft which is reinforced with metal bands; often ornamented with silver and brass

Ventail

Mail or plate skirts attached to bascinets to protect the throat (mostly used during the the 14th and 15th century)

Verdun

European 

Long thrusting sword with a diamond or square-sectioned blade used in the 16th century

Veruta

Roman 

Throwing javelin of the late empire.

vervelles

Bronze, brass, or latten staples that attached to a bascinet to enable the leather cuff of an aventail to be secured to the helmet

Vickers Gun

Machine-Guns 

Produced by the Vickers Company, it was a modified version of the Maxim Machine-Gun. The Vickers Gun used a 250 round fabric-belt magazine and had the reputation as a highly reliable weapon.

The .303 Vickers Gun could fire over 600 rounds per minute and had a range of 4,500 yards. Being water-cooled, it could fire continuously for long periods. There were usually six men in a Vickers gun team. In his book, With a Machine Gun to Cambrai, George Coppard, explained how the Vickers Gun Team worked. "Number One was leader and fired the gun, while Number Two controlled the entry of ammo belts into the feed-block. Number Three maintained a supply of ammo to Number Two, and Number Four to Six were reserves and carriers, but all the members of the team were fully trained in handling the gun."

Viretoni

European 

Large crossbow bolt. Dalmatia, 14th century.

Vouge, Voulge

European 

See Glaive.

voulge

1. a tool used for trimming trees 2. polearm weapon characterized by a broad axe-like blade with a single spike protrusion at the top, often attached to a wooden pole

Waddy

Australian 

Wooden club

Wahaika

Club made of wood or bone; often elaborately carved

Wairbi

Australian 

Womens' fighting club made of wood

Wakerti

Wooden paddle-shaped club

Wakizashi

Japanese 

"Short sword." The shorter of the samurai's two swords, with a blade of sixteen to twenty-three inches long.

Wams

German 

See Pourpoint

Wan Dao

Chinese 

Curved single-edged sword

War Axe

General 

The term waraxe is not a particular weapon but rather descriptive of an axe designed specifically for use in combat. Waraxes were generally all metal construction and occasionally double-headed. Their axe heads were often longer and broader than a common woodsman’s axe was

War Hammer

General 

While hammer-like weapons had been in use for centuries throughout the world, the medieval European war hammer was a very specific adaptation of the blunt, crushing war hammer design we generally associate with the Norse deity Thor. The medieval war hammer was one of the few weapons with an edge that could both tear open armor plate as well as inflict devastating concussion blows. The war hammer usually had a beak-like blade opposite a faceted hammer, making it a combination of a mace and pick. The weight of the metal head concentrated on the sharp point of the beak after a full swing easily pierced both chain and plate mail. A spear-like tip on some versions allowed for thrusting as well as swinging. While some war hammers were of all metal construction, most were socketed metal heads attached to wooden hafts; metal reinforcement bars (termed langets or cheeks) along the side of the wood haft prevented the hammer head from breaking off during combat

War Sword

General 

See Longsword

Waster

European 

A wooden practice sword. Also called a bevin, bavin or cudgel.

Watilikri

Wooden throwing stick

Webley Revolver

Rifles and Pistols 

Originally designed in 1887, but improved during the early stages of the war, the Webley was a strong heavy-calibre weapon. It has been estimated that over 300,000 Webley revolvers were distributed to British officers during the war

Weerba

Australian 

Hardwood club from Australia

Wfrka

Australian 

Two-pronged wooden club from Australia

Whip

General 

The whip has been a versatile tool and weapon in cultures worldwide since the beginning of time. It has been used as an implement for punishment, for controlling animals, for war, and, in recent years in the less talked about corners of society, as an accessory for intimacy (we’ll let that use go without further discussion -- this is a family show). War whips were usually very sturdy and flail-like. Most involved metal or stone tips attached via a chain or linking metal bars to a metal or wood handle. The variety of whip common in Elanthia seems to be flexible from the way it can be cracked, thus we selected the bullwhip for display here. The bullwhip, in the hands of an expert, can tear the flesh off bodies, pull objects out of a target’s hand, and in rare cases break bones.

Woodsman's axe

General 

Common tool generally used with two hands; consists of a socketed metal head fitted onto a wooden handle

Xiphos

Bronze sword with a tanged metal blade fitted into a plain wooden hilt

Yan Ling Dao

Chinese 

A waist saber with feathery pattern on the blade

Yan Yue Dao

Chinese 

Crescent-shaped sword with a long handle

Yao Dao

Chinese 

Waist saber

Yatagan

A long knife or short saber that lacks a guard for the hand at the juncture of blade and hilt; usually has a double curve to the edge and a nearly straight back

Yeamberren

Wooden club with a large conical head

Yue

Chinese 

A big battle-axe

zagbnal

Steel pick or beaked axe from India; often engraved and inlaid with gold

Zaghnal

India 

A steel fighting pick from India.

Zhe Dao

Chinese 

Tibetan knife

Zhi Dao

Chinese 

Straight single-edged sword

Zweihander

German 

The two-handed sword of medieval Europe had a number of names, most fairly self-explanatory. Great in size and weight (some weighed as much as 15-20 pounds), they required two hands to use (zweihander is German for two handed). Most simple two-handed swords were characterized by long straight blades, straight quillons, and a long hilt sufficient for grasping with two hands. Some two-handed swords such as the claymore and flamberge were unique enough to have their own names. Despite their straight blades, two-handed swords were designed for swinging, rather than just thrusting. It was one of the few swords designed to and capable of crushing through heavy armor. A great deal of strength and space were needed to use a two-handed sword well.