Page 101 - (DK) Smithsinian - Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare

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Elaborately decorated head Wooden shaft covered
with polished rayskin

Small iron grip

▲ IRON MACE This iron mace dates from the period
Date 14th century when the Mongols, under Kublai Khan, Leather wrist loop
overthrew the native ruling dynasty
Origin China or Mongolia
of China and took power. The intricate
Weight 2 ⁄2lb (1.17kg) decoration suggests that it belonged MONGOL ARMOR AND WEAPONS
1
Length 15 ⁄4in (40cm) to a warrior of high status.
3
Ivory-inlaid handle

▲ MONGOL DAGGERS Various types of short swords and daggers
Silver blade were used by Mongol warriors for
with deep fuller Date 14th century close-quarter combat. These are modern
Origin Mongolia replicas in the style of the 14th century.

Quiver carried
about 60 arrows

Silver inlaid crest

▲ BOW CASE
Date 15th century
Origin Mongolia
Material Leather
Mongol warriors protected
their precious composite
bows by carrying them in
leather cases, which were
slung on their left side while
riding. They were designed
to give the warrior easy
access to his bow while
on horseback.

Animal hide string

◀ BOW IN MONGOL STYLE
Date 18th century ▲ QUIVER
Origin China Date 15th century
1
Weight 2 ⁄2lb (1.07kg) Origin Mongolia
Length 31 ⁄4in (79.4cm) Material Leather
1
Steel neck
The composite bows used by the A Mongol quiver was divided protector
Mongols were made up of into a number of sections,
laminated layers of wood, horn, allowing the warrior to quickly
and sinew, which gave them greater select different arrows for different
elasticity and thus a longer range purposes: heavy ones for piercing ▲ NOGAI HELMET This late Mongol helmet of
than a simple wooden bow. These armor, or light ones for long-range Date Late 16th century the Nogai people (descendants
Tip recurves bows had maximum strength for firing. Arrows with scissor-shaped Origin Russia of Genghis Khan) retains the
away from minimum length, a valuable heads were designed to make conical shape of earlier types,
archer attribute on horseback. deep flesh wounds in the bow Material Steel, iron, silver but the neck guard is made of
arms of their enemies. mail rather than leather.