Medieval Armory

The Middle Ages period cannot be but associated with countless battles and internationals conflicts. It was a time of political disputes and division of lands, which eventually came to swords' fights. As need of new weapon emerged, the technology of armor-making advanced. Different people and nations produced their own armory that usually reflected the idea of cultural heritage and slight impacts of neighboring civilizations. For instance, European swords could not but experience effects of West-Asian nations, while the last ones followed the weapon trends of Far East. All in all, historians have defined different types of swords and cold arms according to a place of origin. As a result, today trade of vintage armory features Japanese, Swiss, Vikings swords and many others.As it was mentioned, medieval times faced gradual technological shifts in manufacture of swords. Cold arms of this period are nowadays divided in correspondence of their working principle. Hitting swords include maces, clubs, cudgels and flails, bludgeons and poles. There is also a group of thrusting weapon, which is subdivided into handle (dirks, daggers, rapiers, stilettos, swords) and spear armor (spears, pikes, partisans). The range of chopping weapon embraces battle-axes, scythes, Russian poleaxes and, one more time, swords. The multifunctional weapon (stabbing, cutting and slashing) unites cutlasses, swords, scimitars (the handle), halberds, Glaive and various knives.It is appropriate to mention that armory has developed on the basis of advanced metal processing that took place since the first centuries BC. The variety of cold arms is preconditioned by the fact that most of the bladesmiths worked on a by-order basis. With the development of manufacturing weapons were delivered to a primitive pipeline. As a consequence, decorative component of weapons receded into the background because the emphasis was on fighting qualities. To preserves the art of cold arms, certain types of weapons, which were made in various workshops, were equipped with special features - marking, branding or individual amendments, on which one could identify the master.To date, the exquisites of medieval swords or, at least, what was found during archeological investigations, might be observed in European and Asian historic museums. In contrast, some of them are in private collections of enthusiasts and fans of antique weapon and stuff. Weapon was one of the most valuable things at the time, especially in Europe. Perhaps, that is a reason why contemporary scientists are so amazed when discovering high quality of steel manufacture and magnificent art of cold arms shapes.