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Armour
Although the word armour refers to protective gear rather than weapons...
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Blades, Swords & Spears
The skill of fencing The word fencing describes any form of armed combat involving cutting, stabbi..
» more - Bows & Arrows
Elegant, simple and perhaps the most sophisticated of the early projectile weapons, the bow and arrow take various forms in ancient cultures as diverse as Egypt, Japan, Africa and Europe. It most likely began as a hunting tool, and only later became an implement of war.
»more - Guns & Firearms
The weapons that changed the face of battle. More dramatically than any other weapon before it, the technology of the gun radically altered the face of military confrontation. This effective combustion-powered projectile weapon finally relegated hand-to-hand combat to the history of books.
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Cavalry
The rise and fall of the Mounted warrior
Throughout military history, from ancient civilisations right up until World War I, the use of the horse conferred a powerful advantage in battle. Used as living weapons by their riders, they were also the primary means of advancing and extending the reach of an army before the advent of mechanised transport.
Improvements in equestrian equipment could confer decisive victory, as seen in the example of the famed rider hordes of Genghis Khan. The innovation of stirrups enabled riders to stand up in their saddle, gaining more stability and improving the effectiveness of archery attacks launched from horseback.
Improvements in horse breeds were also often practiced to develop specialised horses to suit military purposes. The Bedouin or Arabian horse is a famous example of a long history of selective breeding, and is one of the breeds ideal for cavalry work.
Meanwhile,the Parthian cataphracts of Iran developed heavy cavalry, and in Europe towards the end of the medieval period, the enormous Destrier or Great-horse was the favoured of steed of armoured knights riding into the combat.
Very elaborate wood and leather saddle from Bukhara (central Asia) The whole surface is painted and inlaid with bone and horn 18 Th Century .
