Axes of the Middle Ages. Battle axes (2): weapons of knights and kings. Barbarian axes from the era of ancient Rome

An ax is a universal weapon. They use it to chop wood or... enemies. In ancient times, it was difficult to imagine a warrior without a battle axe. Largely because of its convenience: with a relatively low weight, it had impressive striking power. Therefore, the battle ax was equally effective against infantry and cavalry. In our review of the top 5 most formidable and popular battle axes of the past.

1. Ax

Interesting fact: The “revival” of the ax took place not so long ago and, oddly enough, in Hollywood. Directors and producers really liked these double-bladed axes. And although they are considered one of the most inconvenient modifications of these weapons, their impressive appearance has attracted cinema.

2. Berdysh

3. Bearded ax

This unusual design made it possible to perform several functions at once: both as a chopping and as a cutting weapon. The elongated part itself, the so-called. The “beard” made it possible for a double grip, with one hand protected by the blade itself. And the short handle made the ax lighter, and the warrior could use not only the force of the blow, but also the speed.

4. Valashka

Valashka was so loved by the Carpathian mountaineers that it became, among other things, part of their national costume. The ax was also used as a ritual object - they even danced with it. Wallachka was a kind of status symbol married man, head of the family.

5. Polex

Main distinctive characteristics The poleax had a long spike at the top of the gun and at its lower end. The shape of the blade varied: heavy, wide, or in the form of a hammer with a counterweight spike. The individual parts of the ax head were attached to one another with pins or bolts.

Dark times, the Middle Ages, knights and barbarians, campaigns of conquest and massacres. Many representatives are interested in this topic human race. Some people admire the courage and bravery of the warriors of the past, others are trying to understand what motivated the rulers who destroyed entire clans.

But an integral topic of such research was and remains the weapons used by the soldiers. One of the most ancient and widespread is the ax and its types.

What is a poleaxe?

The modern word “axe” has its roots in the Old Slavonic “sikira” or “sokira”. Translated, these words have a common meaning - axe.

One of the most dangerous weapons of the past was the ax. The meaning of the word fully justifies its appearance. Almost all types of these weapons are similar. A wooden shaft, the length of which varies from several tens of centimeters to one meter. There is a blade mounted on it, long and wide. The blade, the length of which reaches thirty centimeters, has a semicircular shape.

The ax and its types have become widespread in many countries of the world, but in different eras and centuries.

where and when were the weapons used?

The first mention of what a poleaxe is dates back to ancient times. It is known that in Ancient Egypt the ax was made of bronze and was very popular among warriors. The battle ax became the most common weapon in the Eastern region. Blacksmiths and gunsmiths experimented with appearance and soon they created an ax that had two parallel blades. This type of weapon did not bypass Ancient Rome and Greece.

During the battle, warriors armed with an ax were in the second rank. They dealt deadly shield attacks. The long shaft of the weapon was used for strategic purposes: in battle, infantrymen tripped the legs of opponents and horses.

But Europe learned much later what a poleaxe was. The definition of the word remains the same: a battle ax with a long shaft. However, weapons only became widespread after the first infantry troops appeared in the eighteenth century.

How has the ax changed in Europe?

With the appearance in European countries ah eighteenth century infantrymen, the ax became increasingly popular. The meaning of the word did not change; it was still a battle ax with a rounded blade and a shaft of varying lengths. However, the appearance has changed.

In a battle against soldiers dressed in cast armor and helmets, an ax swing was not enough to inflict significant damage on the soldiers. Then the length of the shaft was changed. In the hands of the soldiers there was a weapon two meters long, to the tip of which were attached not only sharp blades, but also various hooks, bayonets and tips.

But it is worth noting that even in this era, the ax on the shaft was not used as a spear. The imbalance of the shaft and tip did not allow for accurate long-distance throws.

During the period from the heyday of Ancient Civilizations to eighteenth-century Europe, the ax underwent several changes.

Halberd

One of the varieties of the ax was the halberd. It became widespread in the fifteenth century, becoming the most effective weapon against armored cavalry troops.

The appearance is slightly different from regular weapons. The halberd's shaft ranged from one meter to two and a half, and the maximum weight was almost six kilograms. The blade was different forms: flat, narrow, crescent, concave or vice versa. The main difference between the halberd is the combined tip, the length of which could reach one meter.

For fatal blows, the tip of the halberd was equipped with a needle-shaped spear blade, hook or butt.

Scandinavian ax

When wondering what a poleaxe is, one cannot ignore the Scandinavian version. This type of weapon dates back to the Middle Ages. Outwardly it resembles a modern analogue, but differs in a wider blade, equally diverging to the sides. The shaft of the weapon was thin. The width of the blade was only two and a half centimeters, and the weight excluding the shaft was no more than 500 grams.

It was from Scandinavia that the battle ax migrated to Europe at the beginning of the tenth century, and it reached Rus' only in the second half of the century. And if in Rus' they stopped using the battle ax in the thirteenth century, then European warriors did not abandon it for a long time.

Ax of Perun

What is a poleaxe? Of course, a battle axe. But this is not the complete answer. In addition to the weapons of infantrymen and warriors of the past, such an ax was a talisman among the Slavs.

Ax of Perun, according to modern research, was one of the favorite types of weapons of the main and strongest Slavic god.

The ax of Perun is the main amulet of warriors going into battle. According to legend, the talisman deflects spears and arrows from a person. But it protects only those who fight for their Motherland and their people.

However, the symbol of divine weapons does not only help people associated with battles. The ax took on the symbolism of its owner and became a talisman that helps overcome difficulties. It gives strength to fight evil and darkness.

It has come a long way through millennia with man and still remains a very popular instrument. Battle axes were practically revived after the Vietnam War (1964-1975) and are currently experiencing a new wave of popularity. Main secret The advantage of the ax lies in its versatility, although cutting down trees with a battle ax is not very convenient.

Battle ax parameters

After watching films in which horned Vikings swing huge axes, many are left with the impression that a battle ax is something huge, terrifying just by its appearance. But real battle axes differed from working axes precisely in their small size and increased shaft length. The battle ax usually weighed from 150 to 600 grams, and the length of the handle was about 80 centimeters. With such weapons one could fight for hours without getting tired. The exception was two-handed ax, the shape and size of which correspond to the impressive “cinema” specimens.

Types of battle axes

According to types and shapes, battle axes can be divided into:

• One-handed;
• Two-handed;
• Single blade;
• Double-edged.

In addition, axes are divided into:

• Actually axes;
• Axes;
• Mints;

Each of these species has many subspecies and variations, however, the main division looks exactly like this.

Ancient battle ax

The history of the ax began back in the Stone Age. As you know, the first tools for man were a stick and a stone. The stick evolved into a club or club, the stone into a sharp axe, which is the ancestor of the axe. A chopper could be used to cut up prey or cut a branch. Even then, the ancestor of the ax was used in intertribal skirmishes, as evidenced by the finds of broken skulls.

A turning point in the history of the ax was the invention of a method for connecting a stick with an ax. This simple design increased the impact power several times. At first, the stone was tied to the handle with vines or animal sinews, which made an extremely unreliable connection, although it was enough for several blows of the ax. The shape of the stone ax even then resembled the modern one. Combat skirmishes required reliable weapons, and gradually axes began to be polished and attached to the handle through a hole drilled in the stone. Making a high-quality ax required long and painstaking work, so skillfully made axes were used mainly in skirmishes with enemies. Already in that era, a division into combat and working axes appeared.

Bronze Age axes

The era of bronze axes flourished in ancient Greece. At first, the Hellenic battle ax was made of stone, but with the development of metallurgy, battle axes began to be made of bronze. Along with bronze axes, stone axes were also used for a long time. For the first time, Greek axes began to be made double-edged. The most famous Greek double-bladed ax is the labrys.

Images of labrys are often found on ancient Greek vases, it is held in hands supreme god Greek pantheon Zeus. Finds of huge labryses in excavations of Cretan palaces indicate the cultic and symbolic use of these axes. Labryses were divided into two groups:

• Cult and ceremonial;
• Battle Labryses.

With the cult ones, everything is clear: due to their enormous size, they simply could not be used in skirmishes. The battle labrys was the same size as a regular battle ax (a small ax on a long handle), only the blades were located on both sides. We can say that these are two axes combined into one. The complexity of manufacturing made such an ax an attribute of leaders and great warriors. Most likely, this served as the basis for the further ritualization of labrys. To use it in battle, a warrior had to have considerable strength and dexterity. Labrys could be used as Two-handed weapon, because two blades made it possible to strike without turning the shaft. In this case, the warrior had to dodge enemy blows, and any hit from the labrys was usually fatal.

Using a labrys in tandem with a shield required enormous skill and strength in the hands (although labrys for this purpose were made individually and were smaller). Such a warrior was practically invincible and, in the eyes of others, was the embodiment of a hero or god.

Barbarian axes from the era of ancient Rome

During the reign ancient Rome The main weapon of the barbarian tribes was also an ax. Among the barbarian tribes of Europe there was no strict division into classes; every man was a warrior, hunter and farmer. Axes were used both in everyday life and in war. However, in those days there was a very specific ax - the Francis, which was used only for combat.

Having first encountered barbarians armed with Francis on the battlefield, the invincible legionnaires initially suffered defeat after defeat (however, the Roman military school quickly developed new methods of protection). Barbarians with enormous power They threw their axes at the legionnaires, and when they were at close range, they chopped them with great speed. As it turned out, the barbarians had two types of Francis:

• Throwing, with a shorter handle, to which a long rope was often tied, allowing the weapon to be pulled back;
• Francis for close combat, which was used as a two-handed or one-handed weapon.

This division was not rigid and, if necessary, a “regular” Francis could be thrown no worse than a “special” one.

The very name “Francis” reminds us that this battle ax was used by the Germanic tribe of the Franks. Each warrior had several axes, and the francisca for close combat was a carefully stored weapon and the pride of its owner. Numerous excavations of the burials of rich warriors indicate the high importance of these weapons for the owner.

Viking battle ax

Ancient Viking battle axes were terrible weapons of that era and were associated specifically with sea robbers. One-handed axes had many forms, not very different from each other, but the two-handed broadaxe was remembered for a long time by the enemies of the Vikings. The main difference between Brodex is its wide blade. With such a width it is difficult to talk about the versatility of the ax, but it cut off limbs with one blow. In that era, armor was leather or chain mail, and a wide blade cut through it perfectly.

There were also one-handed broadaxes, but the so-called “Danish axe” was two-handed and was perfectly suited to the tall and on foot Scandinavian pirates. Why did the ax become a symbol of the Vikings? The Scandinavians did not go to the “Vikings” for booty because of the incredible steepness, they were forced to do so by the harsh natural conditions and infertile lands. Where do poor farmers get the money to buy swords? But everyone had an ax on their household. After reforging the blade, all that was needed was to place the ax on a long, strong handle, and the terrible Viking was ready to go. After successful campaigns, the warriors acquired good armor and weapons (including swords), but the ax remained the favorite weapon of many fighters, especially since they wielded it masterfully.

Slavic battle axes

Shape of battle axes ancient Rus' practically no different from the one-handed axes of Scandinavia. Since Rus' had close ties with Scandinavia, the Russian battle ax was the twin brother of the Scandinavian one. Russian foot squads and especially the militia used battle axes as their main weapon.

Rus' also maintained close ties with the East, where the specific battle hatchet came from - the coin. The hatchet-hatchet is similar to it. You can often come across information that a mint and a klevets are the same weapon - but despite their external similarity, these are completely different axes. The mint has a narrow blade that cuts through the target, while the klevet is shaped like a beak and pierces the target. If you can use metal that is not the same to make a claw best quality, then the narrow blade of the coin must withstand significant loads. The Russian military coinage was the weapon of horsemen who adopted this weapon from the horse-dwellers of the steppe. The coinage was often richly decorated with precious inlay and served as a badge of honor for the military elite.

Battle ax in Rus' in more late times served as the main weapon of bandit gangs and was a symbol of peasant revolts (along with battle scythes).

The ax is the main competitor of the sword

For many centuries, the battle ax was not inferior to such specialized weapons as the sword. The development of metallurgy made it possible to mass-produce swords intended exclusively for combat functions. Despite this, the axes did not give up positions, and judging by the excavations, they were even in the lead. Let's consider why the ax is like universal tool could compete on equal terms with a sword:

• The high cost of a sword compared to an ax;
• The ax was available in any household and was suitable for battle after minor modifications;
• For an ax it is not necessary to use high-quality metal.

Currently, many companies manufacture so-called “tactical” tomahawks or battle axes. The products of the SOG company with their flagship model M48 are especially advertised. The axes have a very impressive “predatory” appearance and various options butt (hammer, pliers or second blade). These devices are more intended for combat operations than for economic use. Because of the plastic handle, it is not recommended to throw such tomahawks: they fall apart after several hits against a tree. This device is also not very comfortable in the hand and constantly tries to turn, which is why the blow can turn out to be a sliding one or even a flat one. It is better to make a battle ax yourself or with the help of a blacksmith. Such a product will be reliable and made according to your hand.

Making a battle ax

In order to make a battle axe, you will need an ordinary household ax (preferably made in the USSR during the time of Stalin), a template and a grinder with a sharpener. Using the template, we cut the blade and give the ax the desired shape. After this, the ax is mounted on a long handle. That's it, the battle ax is ready!

If you want to get a high-quality battle axe, you can forge it yourself or order it from a blacksmith. In this case, you can choose the grade of steel and be completely confident in the quality of the finished product.

The history of battle axes goes back tens of thousands of years, and although modern world There are few models left just for combat use, many people keep an ordinary ax at home or in the country, which can be turned into a combat ax without much effort.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

I am interested in martial arts with weapons and historical fencing. I am writing about weapons and military equipment, because it is interesting and familiar to me. I often learn a lot of new things and want to share these facts with people who are interested in military topics.

Hello, dear readers! Today I would like to continue the topic of “Battle axes” and describe to you about such an example from this series as an ax. Let's talk about its characteristics and functionality. And also about several varieties of axes, common in Asia and Europe.

The ax is one of the varieties of the battle ax and is considered a chopping bladed weapon. It is characteristically different from other axes in that it has a crescent-shaped blade, sharpened along the convex part. It takes its roots from ancient times.

Common in Ancient Greece the ax called "labrys" instead of a butt had a symmetrical second blade, like a butterfly. Historians write that weapons of the same shape were common among both the peoples of Asia and the Romans.

The ax was also known in many European countries and in Rus'. Used in most cases by infantry to pull riders off their horses and break through heavy armor. To do this, a strong and long spike, sometimes curved downwards, was located on the butt side of the axe.

Judging by the name, we can say that a poleaxe is an axe, only the shaft itself is slightly longer. But there is a difference - it's balance. Balancing the ax gives its owner good freedom of movement. An ax is used due to its weight, like a hammer or mace.

In most cases, an ax differs from an ax in that it can be used for piercing blows; accordingly, the ax would have to have a feather pointed forward, like, for example, a halberd. In Asia, skilled martial artists preferred to wield a poleaxe rather than an axe, since in good hands, the ax is capable of a lot. Judging by its appearance, we can say that it is a hybrid between a spear and a sword.

Characteristics of the ax

Ax consists of a shaft, a blade and a counterweight at the end of the shaft. The ax shaft consists of an ordinary stick, sometimes with a wrapping to prevent your hands from slipping on the shaft. The length of the shaft depends on the method of use: for infantry up to 2.5 meters, “combat halberd”; for cavalry 70 - 80 centimeters, “horse axes”; for boarding ships up to 3 meters, "boarding halberd".

The warhead was inserted into the eye and secured to the shaft with nails or rivets. The blade of the ax has many types and shapes, but in most cases it looked like a month-shaped blade, not moving far away from the shaft itself.

Since, the further the blade moved away from the shaft, the more the balance of the ax was lost, and, in turn, the possibility of fencing techniques. And if one side is heavier than the other, such an ax will be very difficult to wield.

The use of “butterfly” axes showed that it was difficult to strike with such an ax; the ax itself was very heavy and upon impact there was a very large inertial force. There were also axes where the blade exceeded the shaft itself and served as a counterweight to itself.

Often the front part of the blade was sharpened so that it was possible to deliver piercing blows, although in several types of axes a kind of spike is used for this. Very often, between the blade and the spike or the blade and the shaft there is a gap, which is used to capture the opponent’s blade, but for this you need to be fluent in the fencing techniques of the axe.

On the opposite side of the blade, where the butt is located, some types of axes use a hook. It is used for various purposes, such as: grabbing the wall or side of a ship, throwing a rider off a horse, and much more.

The cutting part of the ax varies in length from 10 centimeters to a blade equal in length to a sword-shaped blade. At the bottom of the ax blade there is a protrusion, below the fastening point itself, it is called a scythe and is used for better fastening of the blade itself to the shaft.

The counterweight was a simple metal knob or spike that was used to push into the ground, but it could also be used to deliver an unnoticeable blow. Without a counterweight, the ax would be very difficult to handle.

Ax functionality

The functionality of the ax allows you to use it as a spear, the difference between them is only in length, and of course the balance will not allow you to throw the ax like a spear. In a one-on-one fight, the ax has many advantages over other types of melee weapons.

An ax can be used to pull a warrior off a horse or to strike at the lower limbs unprotected by a shield. If, for example, spears were used in defense, axes and swords in attack, then axes were the golden mean between them. Although many armies used detachments of ax-bearers to protect the flanks, using pikemen in the center.

Since axes were common in many countries of Europe and Asia, in each country the battle ax looked different and was used, depending on the shape of the blade, for different purposes. But still, let’s try to deal with each of them separately.

Halberd

A halberd is a cold pole weapon with a combined tip. The tip is a needle-shaped spear point up to one meter long and can be either round or faceted. The tip of the halberd itself sometimes had a hook. There is a small ax blade on one side, and a pointed butt on the other.

The advantages of the halberd were demonstrated to Europe in the 14th century, thanks to Italian and Swiss mercenaries, who showed all the advantages of this ax in battle against knightly cavalry. In Flanders, the halberd was given the name "godenac".

The halberd was in service with many European countries from the 13th to the 17th centuries, but became most widespread in the 15th - 16th centuries like the most effective weapon against armored cavalry. The shaft of the halberd reached 2 - 2.5 meters and the weight was from 2.5 to 5.5 kilograms.

The halberds differed only in the shape and size of the axe. The blade of the ax could be: flat or crescent, narrow or wide, concave or convex, in the form of an ax or mint, number of hooks.

But there were also halberds that did not have a spear point and looked like an ordinary ax on a long shaft. By the 15th century, the halberd had finally formed and looked like: a narrow hatchet on one side, and on the other, a curved and pointed butt, a large needle-like point on one side of the shaft, and on the other side, a small knob or a small point for better sticking into the ground .

In battle, there was no armor that a halberd could not penetrate with its tip; crushing and slashing blows were delivered with a hatchet or butt, a rider was pulled off a horse with a hook, or ships were pulled together during boarding. Boarding halberds were also equipped with a large hook for better grip and an elongated shaft (up to 3 meters).

The name of the ax comes from English word"broad ax", meaning a wide axe. The broad-bladed ax has a wide trapezoidal blade. Brodexes became most widespread in the 10th-11th centuries, in the Baltic states and Scandinavia.

Judging by archaeological finds, there were practically none of them on the territory of Rus'. Brodex had a characteristic rounded blade blade. Brodex blades can be divided into types with one-sided and two-sided sharpening. Double-sided broadaxes were battle axes, but they were very heavy and inconvenient in terms of striking.

But later they found a use for executions that existed in the modern era; executioners cut off heads with such axes. Brodex with one-sided sharpening, on the contrary, were not combat weapons, but were used in agriculture. For example, due to its large flat surface, it was easy for them to process the surface of a fallen tree, beam or beam.

Berdysh

Berdysh is a bladed weapon, like an ax - a poleaxe. The origin of the ax has not been figured out, and to this day, some believe that it came from French word"bardiche", others, from the Polish "berdysz".

The blade is curved, resembling a crescent moon in appearance, mounted on a long shaft reaching up to 180 centimeters. They also said “ratovische” on the shaft. The blunt part of the ax blade had a hole for mounting on the blade, and as in an ordinary ax, it is called the butt; the opposite edge of the blade is also called stupid, and the end of the blade drawn down is called braid.

The ratovishche was attached to the metal, mounted on the butt and nailed with nails or rivets, and the braid was tied with a strap. To nail the shaft to the butt, holes were made in it; their number could reach up to 7.

Kositsu in the same way, they were first nailed with several nails, and a rope or strap was also wound on top. In some cases, a thin strap on each turn was secured with a small nail. On the lower part of the shaft, a metal tip, the so-called “podtok”, was mounted, designed to better rest the reed on the ground.

Underflow used when firing muskets, but also during parade formation. There are reeds in which small holes were made on the blade itself throughout the entire blade and rings were inserted into them. Thanks to this experiment, the reeds that were used by the cavalry appeared. The axes of the mounted archers were much smaller than the axes of the foot soldiers.

On the ratovishche there were two metal rings for the shoulder strap, so that it would be more convenient for the rider to use the reed. Riders began to use berdyshes less and less, as with the lighter armor, swords, and later sabers, became relevant.

Lochaberaxt or Lochaber ax translated from English means “Lochaber axe” and takes its roots from the name of the territory in Scotland called Lochaber. Externally, lohaberakst is very similar to berdysh.

Ax consists of an iron blade with two eyes into which the shaft itself is inserted, about one and a half meters long. The length of the blade itself reached 50 centimeters and had both a flat and wavy surface.

The upper end of the ax was in the shape of a crescent and was sharpened so that piercing blows could be delivered. On the eyes there could be a hook for pulling soldiers from the cavalry. The Lochaber ax was used by both cavalry and infantry and was a very versatile and effective battle axe.

Studying history, it can be assumed that the lohaberaxt, due to its functionality, was modernized into a halberd around the 15th century. But in Scotland they were relevant until the 18th century.

Sakravor translated from Armenian "Սակրավոր" , comes from the word sakur, meaning axe. In the ancient Armenian army, warriors were mainly armed with an ax. From the name of the ax came the very name of the warriors - sakravor.

But since the warriors were very functional, their equipment also included other axes and military trench shovels. The Sakravors were engaged in laying roads, cutting down forests, building bridges, setting up military camps, trenches, and haravands. "խարավանդ" and much more.

It was also the responsibility of the sakravors to monitor the “gumak” - a convoy of horses and oxen transporting ammunition, food, and camp supplies. Nowadays you can hear in the Armenian army that sappers are referred to as sakravor. From which it follows that back in those days, the first multifunctional sappers appeared.

The Scandinavian ax is a medieval pole weapon. The Scandinavian ax differed from most axes in that it had a wide blade that symmetrically diverged in different directions. The ax was very thin, it had side cheeks.

The thickness of the blade itself is about 2 millimeters, having a sleeve at the end; the width of the sleeve was 2.5 centimeters and the length was 3.5 centimeters. The blade blade was also large, its width was 17 - 18 centimeters, and its length was also 17 - 18 centimeters.

What you can understand is that it was not a square, since the blade diverged symmetrically in different directions. The weight of the ax without the shaft was about 450 grams, and the shaft reached a length of up to 120 centimeters. The ax takes its roots from its name - Scandinavia.

Thanks to their Norman influence, the Scandinavians introduced the ax to Europe in the 10th - 11th centuries; in Rus', such axes appeared only in the second half of the 10th century, and full-scale use began only in the 11th century. If in Rus' in the 12th - 13th centuries, axes began to lose their popularity, then in Europe, on the contrary, they are used very widely.

Over the course of the 12th - 13th centuries, axes underwent all sorts of modifications, such as: a spike was added, like a halberd, and the length of the shaft itself increased. One of these modifications will be Polex . At the same time, an unmodified version of the ax is also used: as proof, in Ireland and Scotland they were used until the 16th century.

Polex

The polex is a modified Scandinavian poleaxe, considered a European polearm. In the 15th - 16th centuries, the polex became one of the most widely used bladed weapons for foot soldiers. Like all axes, the polex was also divided into a shaft, up to two meters long, and a metal blade.

There was a needle-like spike at the top of the blade of the polex; on some axes, such a spike was also located at the bottom of the shaft. On the shaft itself there were iron strips of “splints”, descending on both sides of the blade head to the bottom and used to protect the blade from being cut.

There were polexes that had protection for the hands; such protection was called “rondel”. But the most important difference in the Polex was that all parts of the blade were assembled on bolts or pins; it was possible to replace a failed part with a new one. Because of this, it was very popular, since halberds at that time were solidly forged.

A siege knife is a polearm bladed weapon. Its purpose was to chop and stab. It looked similar to both a halberd and a glaive, but had a large shaft, about 3 meters.

The wedge-shaped tip had a wide cutting surface on one side and a large hook on the other, designed for clinging to fortress walls and using a knife to climb the same walls. It was used mainly in Germany and was relevant until the 18th century.

Guizarma

Translated from Italian "guisarme" means gizarma, gizarda, gizarma . It is very similar to a halberd with a long narrow, slightly curved tip, the blade of which is straight, with a branch pointed at the end. The first branch is long and straight, and the other branch is a slightly curved thorn.

The spike and the blade are placed at a considerable distance from each other; from the appearance of the guizarama, one can say that its ancestors were ordinary agricultural forks. The Gwizarama is the only European ax designed primarily for grappling strikes.

Chopping blows with an ax were used primarily against horses, cutting their tendons, but it was also possible to pull off the rider himself. Such specific weapons appeared in the 11th century, but the final result was formed only at the end of the 14th century.

Glaive

Translated from French "glaive" means glaive, glevia . The glaive is a polearm bladed weapon designed for close combat and was used only by infantry. It consists of a tip about 60 centimeters long, 5 - 7 centimeters wide and has a shaft about one and a half meters long.

A metal tape was often wound around the shaft itself to strengthen it from being cut, or rivets were applied for the same purpose. The tip is shaped like a blade, but is sharpened only on one side of the wide “falcion”.

On the side of the so-called butt of the tip, a spike branches off parallel to the tip, bent at a slight angle. The functions of the spike included capturing the weapon when reflecting a blow from above, as well as delivering more powerful and effective piercing blows that pierce the enemy’s armor.

Since the tip itself could only deliver chopping blows, the glaive was mainly used as a chopping weapon. At the end of the shaft, there was also a tip, but in most cases it was used as a balance. Although, sometimes they also dealt tricky blows or finished off the wounded.

Many people believe that a glaive is an ordinary scythe, only straightened and put on the shaft, as if continuing it, with the tip forward. Since the glaive is a relatively light and functional axe, it began to be used in France and Germany back in the 15th century, but its use required special skills.

There were many modifications of the glaive, for example: a wide, ax-shaped tip on one side of the shaft and a spherical counterweight at the end; or on both sides of the shaft, there were identical, sharp, narrow, long blades.

It’s impossible to count all the modifications, but I’ll list a few analogues of the glaive in other countries, for example:

• German "halberd"
• Polish "berdysh"
• Indian "bhuj"
• Japanese "nagamaki" and "naginata"
• Chinese "guandao"
• and, of course, the “owl” from Rus'

In conclusion, I would like to say that the ax was so functional that many countries and continents had their own axes, each country made its own modernizations of the ax, so it is impossible and problematic to list them in one article. But in the future, I will write about battle axes, which I have not yet paid attention to. So, stay tuned for more posts about battle axes! It will be tiringly interesting!

Find ancient ax, and the day will not be lived in vain. There are finds that can last the entire season. But what do you know about ancient axes? Few diggers will be able to distinguish a battle ax from a working one. And there are even fewer who can distinguish the ax of a simple warrior from the ax of a leader. Today, even among official archaeologists, you can hear wild things like - the main warrior had the largest ax. Drive away such specialists with wet rags. In fact, identifying an ax is quite simple.

All ancient Russian axes can be divided into two large groups - axes with extended butt(“hammer”) and axes with a regular blade. Specifications Both groups of axes are different from each other.

In the first group There are three types of axes, which most researchers classify as battle axes. The first type, “A”, is characterized by a wide rectangular blade and a flat guy on the butt (shapes 1-4).

Based on some differences in the shapes of the blades, axes of this type can be divided into two subtypes: the first is represented by axes with a trapezoidal blade, the second by axes with blades approaching a rectangular shape (shapes 1-2).

Type "A" dates back to the 10th century. based on finds in burial mounds of this time and by analogies. The second type of ax in this group, type “B,” has elongated hammers on the butt, usually ending in small heads, and narrow ones that symmetrically widen into often rounded blades. The cheeks are usually oval (shape 5-11).

Axes with elongated butts can generally be dated to the 10th-11th centuries.17. Analogues of IM are known in Hungary and Poland.

The third type, “B”, is represented by axes with a small hammer on the butt, and sometimes simply with a slightly thickened upper part of the butt. The blade is almost always wide, sometimes even drawn down by a narrow strip (shapes 12-18). It is interesting that some battle axes (XIII-XIV centuries) from Vladimir and Novgorod with rich decorative details belong to the same type.

These axes, which can be called “mints,” date back to the 10th-12th centuries, but the bulk of the finds date back to the 11th century. Probably, the initial form for axes of this type was type “B”, complicated by a number of characteristic details inherent in axes of the second group (without hammers on the butt). Analogies are known in Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. Axes of the three named types were made using the same technology from two strips of metal.

Axes of the second group represented by a significantly larger number of types. Some have subtriangular-shaped projections on the butt (bottom and top). It is possible that these processes originated from the “hammers” on the butts of axes of types “A” and “B” and were intended mainly to protect the ax from the blow of an enemy weapon. Decorative caps, which already appeared on axes of type “B” (forms 1, 5, 7, 10, 11), show that the hammers here have lost their original purpose and serve to protect the ax from an enemy blow.

The above-mentioned branches are found precisely in axes of those types, the origin of which dates back to the 10th century, to its second half. These are type “G” axes (forms 19-20).

Very small in size, with a blade that expands evenly from the butt and resembles the blade of a “B” type ax with cheeks on both sides. Axes of this type date back to the second half of the 10th-11th centuries; analogues to them are known in Poland. There are 23 known examples of such axes.

The most common type of battle ax in Russian antiquities of the late X-XII centuries. is type "D". These are axes with a wide blade and butt protrusions. Axes of the “D” type continue the evolution of the blade shape, which began already in the second half of the 10th century. (axe shape 11) for some axes of types “B” and “C”.

According to the nature of the lower notch, “D” type axes are divided into two subtypes: in the first, the lower notch approaches half the circle to a greater extent than in the second. Based on the size of the handle, there are four options in each subtype (“a”, “b”, “c”, “d”). There are 102 examples of this type in total.

Type “D” dates back to the end of the 10th-12th centuries; The vast majority of axes were found in burials of the 11th century. In Poland, such axes also date back to the 11th century. (forms 19-32).

Axes of types “E”, “Zh”, “3”, “I” are much less common and, like type “D”, do not produce clear and numerous series. Type "E" axes are characterized by a strongly concave top line and a large bottom notch. The date of axes of this type is the 11th century. (forms 33-34).

Type “G” is represented by axes with a blade strongly drawn down, completely similar to the blades of some axes of types “B” and “D” (shape 35).

Only five examples of such axes are known, which date back to the 11th-12th centuries. and have exact analogies in Poland 29 and Scandinavia.

All type 3 axes are different from each other, but they are united by small cheeks (always located only on one side), small sizes, a slight bend in the top line and a specific small notch at the bottom. They date back to the 11th-12th centuries. (forms 36-37). Nine axes of this type are known.

A characteristic feature of type “I” axes is the presence of slightly elongated jaws on both sides. The blade of these axes is usually not wide, the top line is slightly concave, and the bottom notch is large. Date - X-XI centuries. Five axes of this type are known (shape 38).

Axes of the “K” type with a straight top line and a butt hole in the shape of an inverted trapezoid are found exclusively in the Ladoga barrows (forms 40 and 41).

The top line of some axes of this type is perpendicular to the vertical of the butt, while in others it departs from it at a slight angle. The cheeks are usually located on one side. Date - X-XI centuries. E1 specimen is known.

Axes of type “L” differ from axes of type “K” primarily in the oval shape of the butt hole. They are found not only in the Ladoga region, but also in the north-west Novgorod land. Dating back to the 11th-12th centuries. There are 14 known copies (Form 42).

Axes of the “M” type are wide-bladed, without a lower notch, with a relatively symmetrically expanding blade, very thin and always rounded, with cheeks on both sides of the butt, with a subtriangular shape of the butt hole (shape 43).

The historian and expert on ancient weapons Spitsyn considered these axes to be combat axes. Their date is X-XII centuries.34. Analogues of such axes are known in Poland and Scandinavia. They are distributed mainly in Northern Rus' 37. There are variants of this form - some have a less wide and more symmetrical blade, the cheeks are not triangular, but somewhat elongated (form 39); others have a lower notch (shape 44). These are later versions of “M” type axes, known already in the 11th-12th centuries.

The types of axes described are generally combat axes. In addition to their shape, battle axes differ from work axes in the size of the butt holes. For the task of separating battle axes from workers, these dimensions are of paramount importance, since they allow us to judge not only the thickness of the axe, but also its length. The shorter handles of working axes were also thicker, while the battle axes of the Middle Ages had thin and long handles. Characteristic of the axes of the selected types is the small thickness of the ax handles, which was compensated by a significant length, reaching up to 1 meter. The fact is that a long ax increases the force of the blow, but at the same time the recoil force. For a battle ax the impact force is important, for a working ax the recoil force is no less important; therefore, the length of the handles of working axes should not exceed the size at which the recoil force becomes more noticeable. Thus, reducing the recoil force is achieved by reducing the impact force (efficiency), in other words, by reducing the length of the handle. Accordingly, the decrease in length increases its thickness, reaching 4.3 cm in diameter. On the contrary, for a battle ax the thickness of the handle decreases as its length increases. It is impossible to work with such an ax (it will break), but it is convenient to fight.

The long handles of battle axes are known from ancient images. It’s interesting that on the carpet from Bayeux (the Bayeux Tapestry, try to estimate the scale or just look at this image of the tapestry, you’ll probably watch it live for the whole day) the handles of the axes held by the military leaders are long and thinner than those of the axes used by ordinary soldiers. If we compare this fact with the types of battle axes known to us, then we can assume that battle axes with the thinnest (and, obviously, the longest) handles belong to military leaders, and regular axes- ordinary vigilantes. Long ax handles are also depicted in ancient Russian miniatures.

More topics related to identifying a find. The main thing is to find it, and we’ll figure out what it is. Happy digging everyone!

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