Medieval Weapons and Equipment

In the literature about swords, their use has predominantly not been analysed. This article tries to reconstruct some aspects of the use of Viking Age swords from Northern and Eastern Europe. The reconstruction is based on biomechanics, martial arts principles, late medieval fencing books and

The publication deals with description and attribution of the javelin head from
the Kholodivskiy yar VI settlement. This is a relatively small type of the javelin,
which should be attributed as the artefact of the 13th – 15th c. This is indicated by its
typological and morphological features, as well as a widespread use of javelins in the
East-European armies.

Vlijmscherp verleden
Vlijmscherp verleden vertelt het verhaal over de geschiedenis van het zwaard en de rituele en symbolische betekenis ervan. U ziet bijna tweehonderd bijzondere zwaarden, afkomstig uit de prehistorie tot de twintigste eeuw. De pronkzwaarden, slagzwaarden en steekzwaarden komen uit bijna alle werelddelen. Blikvangers zijn de 'magische' bronzen zwaarden uit de prehistorie, Vikingzwaarden uit de omgeving van Dorestad, een Frans koningszwaard uit de Merovingische tijd en het Nederlandse Rijkszwaard, dat met de overige regalia een tastbaar symbool is van het koninklijk gezag.

Meer dan slechts een wapen

Het Rijksmuseum van Oudheden bezit de grootste collectie archeologische zwaarden van Nederland. Bruiklenen uit binnen- en buitenland verrijken de tentoonstelling en vullen het verhaal aan tot de twintigste eeuw. De zwaarden uit de verschillende perioden en landen geven u een beeld van de grote verscheidenheid in vorm, materiaal en versiering. U ontdekt hoe ze de afgelopen drieduizend jaar zijn gemaakt en u maakt kennis met hun (vaak) rituele en symbolische betekenis. Niet voor niets zijn zwaarden van oudsher een teken van macht, gerechtigheid en krijgskunst.

Zwaarden met persoonlijkheid

Een zwaard is niet alleen een wapen, het is veel meer dan dat. Al eeuwenlang staan zwaarden symbool voor macht, gerechtigheid en krijgskunst. Ze hebben vaak een aparte status en worden gezien als objecten met een eigen 'persoonlijkheid'. Zwaarden spreken nog steeds tot de verbeelding, net als degenen die ze droegen: strijders, ridders en soldaten.

Import of weapons came to the steppes in various ways. One of them was to pass on as diplomatic gifts that testified about the concluded covenants and emphasized the status and prestige of the donors and the donees. Such a ceremonial weapon was made to order at the rulers' court, often taking into account nomads’ sense of aesthetic. Another way of transfer was the purchase. Therefore, in border areas and near riverbanks, craft settlements were created. They often specialized in the production of weapons preferred by nomads. In addition, part of the collected weapons was undoubtedly the spoil of war.
The main centers of production and delivery of weapons for nomads were Ruthenia, Volga  Bulgaria, Caucasus, Byzantine, Central and Western Asia. Weapons from the Baltics and Western Europe territories were less likely to reach the Black Sea steppes.
A ceremonial weapon, buried in the grave, was not only meant to testify to the bravery and prestige of its owner but also indicated a warrior's social position and military rank. Also, funeral rites, related to the preparation of the deceased for the journey into the afterlife, in community awareness were to emphasize the ethos of the horse warrior.

Статья представляет собой краткий обзор и авторский перевод фехтовального трактата «Le Jeu de la Hache» (MS Francias 1996), что значит «Игры с топором». Это анонимный манускрипт на среднефранцузском языке, предположительно написанный в XV веке миланским фехтовальным мастером при дворе бургундского герцога Карла Смелого (1433 – 1477) и состоящий из 18 страниц рукописного текста форматом 240 на 160 мм. Трактат полностью посвящен только одному оружию, рыцарскому топору (poleaxe), и содержит самое большое из известных собрание приемов с этим оружием. Манускрипт был обнаружен в 1544 году в библиотеке Франциска I в Фонтенбло. В данный момент находится в Bibliothèque nationale de France в Париже.

Los yacimientos olvidados: registro y musealización de campos de batalla is a project that aims to encompass all aspects of battlefield archaeology, in order to be a reference work in this study area. Therefore, a detailed historiographical study about this branch of archaeology has been made, from early origins until the present day, allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of the evolution of battlefield archaeology. Two methodologies, archaeological and museographical, are proposed for the treatment of this particular type of archaeological site. In order to prove the viability of both methodologies, a theoretical application has been carried out in two research examples from different periods, demonstrating both the project’s methodological validity and reinforcing our theories.

Two registers were made regarding battlefields ¬- one historical and another archaeological. The purpose of this was to catalogue all possible existing sites in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula from Roman times through to the Spanish Civil War, which will hopefully serve as a point of reference for future researchers. Through this book, people will be able to understand the great potential of Spanish battlefields and their heritage. Furthermore, Spain could be regarded as a very important country regarding battlefield archaeology.

A short term paper for an art history course at the University of New Hampshire, fall 2015. This paper briefly examines the armors in Paolo Uccello's "Battle of San Romano" paintings and argues that the painter did not have a working familiarity with armor and that his depictions are less accurate than has often been argued.

Talk given in Spanish at Complutense University, History department, Madrid for "De fuste e de Fierro". Armamento medieval en la Peninsula Iberica. IV International Seminar. 9-10th March, 2020 (for English translation see Archery CV  https://www.academia.edu/42644287  ) . The talk deals with use of the bow in Al-Andalus as a favored military weapon since its beginning in 711 to its demise in 1492 and by contrast its apparent absence in the northern states that confront it. Discussed are the two types of bows mentioned in an Arabic chronical reference and delves on the possible historical origin of what the sources call the 'Arab bow'. It touches also on the apparent ‘sacralization’ of the bow in the general Islamic context. Its appearance in the few pictorial references in Al-Andalus and discussed are the two very different types that appear in them. Also discussed is their relative effectiveness, construction, and the materials used and their specific differences. All this in contrast to the apparent lack of the use of the bow as a military weapon in the Christian states that were slowly formed at the north of the Iberian Peninsula. This could in part be due, it is argued, to a profound atavistic ideological rejection of the said weapon as being that of ‘the other’. The very negative ideological view of the bow is reflected and materialized in the art of the Christian north as can clearly be see in the Romanesque art of the Iberia Peninsula.

The Sword and Buckler were an ubiquitous duo in the middle ages and the Renaissance, although it can be traced back to antiquity.

In spite of being often neglected, the buckler has an interesting story to tell.

This book offers a new and deep insight into this fascinating small shield.

The list of contents:

Defnition of a buckler
History of the buckler
Typology of the buckler
Bucklers and their usage
Construction of bucklers
Carrying the buckler
Catalogue of original bucklers – complete with measurements
Buckler comparison chart
Excursus / Exkurs Benennung des Bucklers im europäischen Sprachraum


Format: Paperback, 264 pages, 24.6 x 18.9cm, Full Colour
ISBN: 978-0-9929918-3-8
Published by Wyvern Media

LIEN pour la lecture / LINK to read it
https://www.yumpu.com/fr/document/read/16922453/universite-paris-sorbonne-e-sorbonne

Etude archéologique des techniques d’acquisition et de transformation du métal dans le cadre de la production des lames de sabre au Japon (IXe -XVIe siècle). / "Cette thèse a pour thème les techniques d’acquisition et de transformation du fer dans le cadre de la production des lames japonaises, sur une période courant du IXe à la toute fin du XVIe siècle. Une partie préliminaire est présente afin de donner une idée de l’évolution de la métallurgie du fer jusqu’à cette date. Le type de minerais, les sables ferrifères, est alors abordé avec ses techniques d’acquisition et d’extraction. S’en suit une étude des méthodes de transformation par le biais des techniques de réduction. L’étude des différents sites permet de mettre en lumière deux types majeurs de fourneau dans l’archipel : un type à cheminée semi-enterré et un type en forme de boîte rectangulaire. Ce dernier débouche d’ailleurs sur la mise au point, au début du XVIIe siècle, du fourneau traditionnel, le tatara. En outre, l’archipel présente un développement des techniques de forge antérieur aux techniques de réduction. A partir du IXe siècle, la forge japonaise se retrouve donc déjà à un niveau technique particulièrement élevé, ayant développé, en plus des techniques de mise en forme, des techniques d’affinage, de carburation et de grappage, autorisant un recyclage du fer, permettant d’affranchir en partie les forgerons de la production des sites de réduction. C’est donc sur cette base technique particulièrement développée qu’a pu se mettre en place une partie de la production des lames. Ce recyclage explique en partie la disparition d’un très grand nombre de lames, auquel il faut adjoindre à partir de la fin du XVIe siècle, des chasses au sabre, permettant de distinguer la classe des guerriers, les samouraïs par un port d’arme qui leur était réservé.

This thesis is dealing with the iron smelting and forge techniques in the
production of Japanese swords, from the 9th to the end of the 16th century.
A preliminary part presents the evolution of iron smelting techniques in Japan,
from the origin to the 9th century.
The types of ore (iron sand) and their acquisition and extraction techniques
are discussed for a period during from the 9th to the 16th century in a
second part.
The smelting techniques used at the same period are then studied. The
archaeological research sheds light on two major types of furnace in the
archipelago: a semi-buried shaft furnace and a rectangular box shape
furnace. This last one leads in the early 17th century to the development
of the traditional Japanese furnace, the tatara.
Concerning the forging techniques, their development in the archipelago was
prior to the smelting techniques. Therefore, from the 9th century, the
technology of the Japanese forge had already reached a high level,
having developed in addition to the basic forge techniques, the
refining, carburizing and clustering (oroshigane) techniques, allowing
the smith to not be entirely dependent on the iron production of the
smelting furnace, but to also be able to rely on the recycled iron.
Consequently, a large part of the blade production in this period might
have relied on that techniques. This recycling helps to explain the
disappearance of a large number of blades, associated to sword hunts in
the late 16th century which led to distinguish a warrior class, the
samurai, carrying a weapon which is, from the early 17th century,
reserved to them."

Determining the difference in military or political function of castles is a topic heavily debated between scholars. Traditionally the military function has been studied through the use of historical documents or archaeological research into the outer and tower wall thickness of a castles. However, there is another source of material that enables to study a facet of the military functions of castles; military material to study the defence of the castle of against a siege. To examine the possibilities of military material as a source, a case-study has been performed on the military material excavated at eight castles in the county of Holland dating between 1250-1450. The eighth studied castles were grouped into three morphological types of castles. The castle types used in the thesis, from large to small: square castles, keep towers, and moated sites. To determine if castle was besieged using military material a theoretical framework is proposed for the deposition of military material during various events with a heightened deposition probability. The expected deposition of military objects during peace is low compared to the deposition of military objects during a siege. There is no expected pattern for the assembly of military objects deposited during peace. While, the expected loss of military objects during a siege would show a higher amount of projectiles, hand arms and polearms, depending on the siege method employed. However, during the destruction of the castle as part of the scorched earth tactic or as punishment high amount of military material is expected as well.
Examining the military material at the eight castle, it can be concluded that during sieges and the destruction of castles large amounts of military material were deposited as proposed in the theoretical framework. Moreover, it is possible to determine the siege method deployed. However, only if there can be differentiated between the destruction of a castle and a siege. Furthermore, it can be concluded that there is a differentiation in military role of the three castle types. However, this differentiation is not induced by the difference in morphological features, but by the wealth of the castle lord owning the castle and his willingness to defend the castle.

The article reports on archaeological material – pottery vessels and metal artifacts –recovered from two motte sites, one at Tarnowice Stare, the other at Woźniki at present held by the Upper Silesian Museum in Bytom. Most of the assemblage from Woźniki comes from fieldwalking and accidental discoveries, including the best known, made around 1850 and described by Józef Lompa, of the remains of a masonry cellar of a manor house. An archaeological excavation of the motte site was made only in 1957. The pottery assemblage from Woźniki is badly fragmented, which made it difficult to recognize its technological and technical features and to determine its chronology. The motte site yielded also a large number of remarkable metal artifacts, especially weapons, as well as some farm tools and manor furnishings. On the other hand, the assemblage from the motte site at Tarnowice Stare comes entirely from the research excavation of 1983, and consequently, the pottery assemblage is uniform, easy to determine. Possibly the most interesting of the metal finds is a fragment interpreted by the author as an element of a coat of plates. After a comparison with data from historical documents
the fortified establishment at Woźniki was dated relatively broadly to the 14th and the 15th century, rather than to the early medieval period – a previously widely accepted attribution, both in research literature and public awareness. On the other hand, the motte at Tarnowice Stare can be dated reliably by its pottery assemblage to the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century, with an emphasis on the second half of the 14th century.
(translated by P. Polarz)

No âmbito do processo de classificação como Monumento Nacional do Terreiro da Batalha dos Atoleiros (Portalegre / Fronteira), trabalhos arqueológicos procuraram detetar vestígios do conhecido episódio bélico que, no dia 6 de abril de 1384, opôs os exércitos português e castelhano.
Através da prospeção arqueológica apoiada por detetor de metais e de sondagens arqueológicas, foi possível recolher, entre outros materiais, uma ponta de seta de filiação medieval. Prova do uso de armamento ofensivo neurobalístico na área de estudo, e um contributo importante para validar a localização do campo de batalha na área da Herdade dos Atoleiros.

Within the process to classify the Terreiro da Batalhados Atoleiros (Atoleiros Battlefield) in Portalegre/Fronteira as a National Monument, archaeological work has uncovered vestiges of the well-known battle between thePortuguese and Castilian armies on 6th April 1384.Through archaeological survey supported by metal detectors and archaeological excavation, it was possible to collect a Medieval arrow head, among other materials.Besides being proof of the use of neuroballistic offensive weaponry in this area of study, this artefact is an important contribution to validate the location of the battlefield in the area of the Herdade dos Atoleiros farm.

"Władysław Łokietek and the caves of Ojców".

The picturesque village of Ojców, situated in the Jurassic landscape of the southern part of the Cracow–Częstochowa Upland, is an inextricably connected with the legend of Prince Władysław Łokietek. According to it, the prince sought refuge in one of the overcrowded caves (later named after him) during the battle for Cracow throne with Wenceslas II Czech and his followers. According to the historians, this application was made even in the Middle Ages and could be circulated around Poland in the form of a song or a historical narrative. The historical chronology refers to the spring of 1306, and thus to the period immediately preceding the capture of Cracow by Prince Łokietek. It is true that no medieval written source directly mentions the cave hideout of Prince Władysław, but a colourful description of the difficult location in which he found himself after the coronation of Wenceslas II as the King of Poland can be found on the cards of Yearbooks by Jan Długosz. The first legends recorded in the sources are not found until 1691. Later, especially in the 19th century,
when many tourists, writers and visitors visited the Valley of Prądnik, the legend about Łokietek gained a supra-local dimension and sometimes became one of the Polish national myths. In this text, the author attempts to deal with the legend of Prince Łokietek through the analysis
of archaeological sources known from the caves of the area of Ojców. In the case of some parts, we can say that there is a very interesting metal inventory, consisting of weaponry and parts of horse riding equipment, and especially iron rowel spurs. In most cases, these relics can be framed for the second half of the 13th and the first half of the 14th century; some coins of Wenceslas II Czech were also found in the caves of Ojców. According to the author, these findings reinforce the notion of reliability of events outlined in the legend.

. In "Quei maledetti normanni. Studi offerti a Errico Cuozzo per i suoi settant'annni dai suoi colleghi , allievi, amici", a c. di J. M. Martin e R. Alaggio, Centro Europeo di Studi Normanni, 2 voll., Ariano Irpino-Napoli, 2016. vol. I, pp, 23-36.
Weapons production, expecially crossbows, in Castel Capuano of Naples during the first years of Angevine Kingdom

Anyone interested in the Middle Ages – from amateur to professor – likely knows what a military flail is. It’s one of the most iconic weapons of the period. It has a short handle (about the length of a forearm), a long chain and a spiked head at the end of it, and wielded with one hand. They are everywhere: films, museums, "reproduction” weapons shops. They also never existed.

In the summer of 1991, St. Johns Expeditions, a Florida-based marine salvage company, discovered a shipwreck buried behind a shallow reef along the western edge of the Little Bahama Bank. The group contacted archaeologists to ascertain the significance of the discovery, and it was soon determined to be a Spanish ship dating to the 1500’s. The investigation of the shipwreck was entrusted to the author, working for the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society (MFMHS), a not-for-profit research center based in Key West, Florida. Between 1992 and 1999, the MFMHS conducted six excavations to examine and document the shipwreck. Careful analysis of the shipwreck shows that the sizeable vessel sailed between 1555 and 1575 and had touched at Tierra Firme (Colombia and Panama) before sinking during a return voyage to Spain.
    By comparing the archaeological evidence to the historical record, it becomes clear that the St. Johns shipwreck is the Santa Clara, a 300-ton Carrera de Indias galleon owned by the famed Spanish mariner Pedro Menéndez de Avilés. While returning to Spain in October of 1564, the ship grounded on a reef in the western Bahamas and could not be freed. Its cargo of silver and the people on board were safely removed to an accompanying vessel, and the Santa Clara was abandoned. With the identity and specific circumstances of the shipwreck known, it serves as an important touchstone in the understanding of the early Spanish colonial system.

An amateur metal detector survey conducted in the cadastral territory of Klamoš in 2015/2016 yielded, among other things, a well-preserved long-sword. Based on the typo-chronological analysis, the sword can be classified as an Oakeshott Type XIIIa, J, 2, and dated to the course of the 14th c. A conservation-restoration survey revealed remains of maker’s marks on the blade and, mainly, rich pommel decoration that is thus far unique. The latter is further discussed in detail in terms of a both formal evaluation and the applied decoration technology, the identification of which has been based on a detailed survey of the weapon and experimental work. A metallographic examination of the blade was finally omitted due to its compact preservation.

The paper re-interprets the implement known as the ‘Towton Battle Axe’
allegedly found in the river which borders the Towton Battlefield (1461),
Yorkshire, England, and which now resides in Alnwick Castle, Northumberland.
The paper provides parallels, in the form of comparisons with other weapons,
in order that the Towton implement can be shown to be a modified former
halberd dating from the early sixteenth century. It is, therefore, highly unlikely
that the implement was used in the famous battle.
KEYWORDS Battle of Towton, Towton Battle Axe, halberd, medieval weapon, Alnwick Castle, 1461, Towton Battlefield Archaeology Project, Cock Beck.

We don’t know much about the medieval history of Szalacska up to this point. We only have some medieval stray finds  from here. In the course of excavations of the 1980’s many  medieval finds turned up. We can conclude that Szalacska was a built-up area during the 10-17th centuries on the
score of research up to this point. The medieval church of the village Szalacska stood on the south part of the prehistoric fortress and we can presume the existence of a medieval fortress also on the site.

Mariano Taccola’s eques scoppiectarius: an armoured knight who uses a hand-cannonon horseback.
This drawing was probably inspired by the vivacious construction of firearms in Siena, making
this city one of the main centers for the best master craftsman of hand-cannons and casters.
Taccola integrated his sketch with ample tag-lines which clarify mechanisms and inner workings
of hand-firearms of the mid fifteenth century, and also the relationship between architects and
military engineers. However, presently it is unknown whether this expedient was ever employed.
The earliest evidence of firearms being used on horseback is of the 1510, but their use can be traced
back to the years of Taccola idea.

The Book of Five Rings (五輪書 Go Rin No Sho?) is a text on kenjutsu and the martial arts in general, written by the swordsman Miyamoto Musashi circa 1645. There have been various translations made over the years, and it enjoys an audience considerably broader than only that of martial artists: for instance, some business leaders find its discussion of conflict and taking the advantage to be relevant to their work. The modern-day Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū employs it as a manual of technique and philosophy.

The article discusses the "self-defense" techniques presented in fight-books and treaties. The objective is to determine if these techniques take the reality of fight in account, to evaluate the difference between theory and practice in remaining safe during an aggression. In order to do so, this work uses crossed analysis, with remission letters (judicial sources) studied in the light of the knowledge contained in the fight-books. This study is based on the sorting out of weapons, wounds, and times of death found in remission letters (the data of real fight). In parallel, the theorization of fight in treaties will be taken in account.