Weapons & Warfare

1. Weapons & Warfare Jessica Green Mrs. Boswell 4th Block

2. Javelins The Thrusting Spear Winged Spear • two projections on the side of the socket • projections used to catch and lock an opponent's spear or hook an opponents shield • light throwing spear • as long as 75cm • weighs a pound or two • barbed head • easy to catch • Traveled relatively slow • Easy to dodge • fairly broad leaf or lozenge shaped head • heads were attached by socket to a wooden shaft • length of about 1.5 - 2.7m (5' - 9') • 2.1m (7') most common length Spears

3. Seaxes • single edged knife • symbol of freemanship • used to finish off a felled opponent • easy weapon to make • 7.5 - 75cm (3" - 30") blade length

4. Bows And Arrows • displayed a certain disdain for it's use in battle • made of yew, elm or ash • between 1.65 - 1.9m (66" - 76") long • adequate to hunt animals • broad headed and made of Iron

5. Slings used primarily for hunting small game have little effect unless a lucky shot hit the face Ammunition was rounded stones upgraded by placing the essence of the sling at the end of a staff or shaft no known examples of such a tool

6. Swords • most prized and lauded weapon • valuable • were often handed down from generation to generation • 72 - 80cm (29" - 32") long

7. Helmets Limb Armour • Thick leather was possibly used to make helmets • Scolded leather to make it stiff and hard • Used to protect the head Far rarer than body or head armor Worn by the wealthy A sensible defense as the legs were unguarded

8. Shields used universally by all warriors have wooden or metal bands on the back to strengthen flat or 'watchglass' shaped in cross-section made of linden (Lime) wood varied in size from around 45 - 120cm smaller shield sizes come from the pagan period for the Saxons and the larger sizes from the 10th and 11th centuries

9. Axes A flat strip of 'soft' iron is folded in half around a mandrel to create the socket good in attack fairly poor as a tool to defend yourself quickly induces fear 60 - 90cm (2' - 3') long 7.5 - 150cm (3" - 6") blade width

10. Works Cited http://www.regia.org/warfare/spear.htm