Slavic Warrior 6-7 centuries
Information about the earliest types of weapons of the ancient Slavs proceed from two groups of sources. The first - written evidence mainly by the Late Rima and Byzantine authors who knew these well, often attacked the eastern Roman Empire, barbarians. The second is the materials of archaeological excavations, as a whole, confirming the data of Menandra, John Efesse and others. To later sources illuminating the state of military affairs and, including the armament of the epoch of the Kiev Rus, and then the Russian principalities of the Houselong Time, in addition to archaeological, include reports of Arab authors, and then the Russian chronicles and the historical chronicles of our neighbors. Current sources for this period are also visual materials: miniatures, frescoes, icons, fine plastic, etc.
Byzantine authors have repeatedly indicated that the Slavs V - VII centuries. There were no protective armaments in addition to shields (the presence of the Slavs noted the Tacitus in II VN.E.) (1). Their offensive weapons were extremely simple: pair of darts (2). It can also be assumed that many, if not everyone had bows, which mention much less often. There is no doubt that the Slavs and Axes had, but they are not mentioned as a weapon.
This is fully confirmed by the results of archaeological research of the territory of the settlement of the Eastern Slavs by the time of the formation of Kievan Rus. In addition to the widespread lugs of arrows and throwing seal, less often - copies are only two cases, when in the layers of the VII - VIII centuries. More advanced weapons were found: the shell plates from the excavation of the druzen town of Hotomel in the Belarusian Polesie and Fragments of the Balash from the Martynovsky treasure in the piglery. In both cases, it is elements of an avarian armament complex, which is natural, for in the preceding period, the Avars provided the greatest influence on the eastern Slavs.
In the second half of IX in., Activation of the path "from the Varyag to the Greeks", led to the strengthening of the Scandinavian influence on Slavs, including in the field of military affairs. As a result of a merger with the steppe influence on the local Slavic grounds, in the middle of the subway, the own original ancient Russian set of weapons, rich and universal, more diverse than in the West or East began. By choosing the Byzantine elements, he mainly formed to the beginning of the XI century. (3)
Swords of Vigingov
The defensive armament of a noblewriter times of the first Rurikovich included a simple shield (Norman-type), helmet (more often than Asian, pointed form), a plate or ring shell. The sword was served by the main weapons (significantly less often - saber), spear, battle ax, onions and arrows. As an additional weapon used brushes and darts - Sulitsy.
The body of the warrior defended kolchuga, having a kind of shirt to the middle of the thighs made of metal rings, or armor from the straps of horizontal rows of metal plates. For the manufacture of mailings required a lot of time and physical effort. First, the wire hand-held method was made, which was wreated around a metal rod and was destroyed. About 600 m wire went on one chain. Half the rings were welded, and the other squeezed the ends. In the flattening ends, the holes were pierced with a diameter of less than a millimeter and rushed, after connecting this ring with four other, already woven rings. The weight of one kilgar was approximately 6.5 kg.
It was also relatively recently believed that several months left for the manufacture of ordinary chain mail, but recent studies denied these speculative constructions. Making a typical small chain chain of 20 thousand rings in the x in. It occupied the "total" 200 man-hours, i.e. One workshop could have been "put" to 15 or more armor. (4) After assembling the mail, it was cleaned and polished with sand to shine.
In Western Europe, over the armor wearing canvas raincoats with short sleeves, protected from dust and overheating in the sun. This rule was often followed in Russia (as long as the miniatures of the Radziwill Chronicles of the XV century). However, the Russians sometimes loved to appear on the battlefield in open armors, "Yako in Leda." Such cases specifically stipulate the chronicles: "And the BE video of the video is scary in naked armor, the water of the sun light shining." A particularly vivid example leads the Swedish "Chronicle Erica", although the emerging (XIV century) beyond our research): "When the Russians came there, they seen them with many bright armor, their helmets and swords shine; I believe that they went hiking into Russian. And further: "... They shone like the sun, so beautifully with their weapons ..." (5).
It was believed that the mail in Russia appeared from Asia, as if even two centuries earlier than in Western Europe (6), but at present, the opinion was established that this type of protecting weapon is the invention of the Celts known here from the IV century. BC, used by the Romans and the middle of the first millennium AD. Reached to Front Asia (7). Actually, the production of Kolchug arose in Russia no later than the X century. (8)
From the end of the XII century. The view of the mail changed. Armor with long sleeves, pea-knee, rolling stockings, mittens and hoods appeared. Made them now not from round in the section, but from flat rings. The gate was made square, split, with a shallow neckline. A total of one chain went to 25 thousand rings, and by the end of the XIII century - up to 30 different diameters (9).
Unlike Western Europe in Russia, where the influence of the East was felt, at that time there was a different system of protecting weapons - plate or "Boating reservation", called specialists lamellar shell. Such a armor consisted of interconnected metallic plates on each other. The oldest "armor" was made from rectangular convex metal plates with holes around the edges in which the straps, tightened plates among themselves. Later, the plate was made of various shapes: square, semicircular, etc., thick up to 2 mm. The early armor on the belt fastened was put on a thick leather or quilted jacket or, according to the Khazaro Madjar custom, on top of the ring. In the XIV century The archaic term "armor" was replaced by the word "armor", and in the XV century there was a new term borrowed from Greek, "shell".
The lamellar shell weighed a little more conventional chain mail - up to 10 kg. According to some researchers, the times of Russian armor, the times of Kievan Rus, was different from the steppe prototypes who were stood from two Kiras - chest and spinal and was similar to the Byzantine (incision on the right shoulder and side) (10). According to the tradition, going through Byzantium from ancient Rome, shoulders and a hemp of such a armor were issued with leather stripes covered with set blahs, which is confirmed by works of art (icons, frescoes, miniatures, stone products).
Byzantine influence manifested itself in borrowing scaly armor. Plates of such armor were attached to a cliff or leather based on its upper part and overlapped by a series below like a tile or scales. On the side of the plate of each row overlap one another, and in the middle were still stuck to the base. Most of these shells found by archaeologists belong to the XIII - XIV centuries, but they are also known since the XI century.The length they were before the hips; Hem and sleeves were made of longer plates. Compared to the lamellar lamellar shell, the scaly was elastic and flexible. Convex scales, fixed only on the one hand. Givered large mobility.
Kolchuga marked in quantitative terms, all early Middle Ages, but in the XIII century she began to be crowned with lamellar and scaly armor. In the same period, combined armor appeared, which combined both of these types.
Characteristic spherokonic pointed helmets did not immediately get the predominance in Russia. Early protective hats differed significantly from each other, which was a consequence of the penetration of the East Slavic lands of various influences. So, in the nesting mounds on Smolenc region from two IX in the Helmets found. One was a hemispherical, consisting of two half, pulled by strips along the lower edge and on the ridge of the forehead to the back of the head, the second - typically Asian, of four triangular parts with imagine, lower rim and four vertical stripes covering the connecting seams. In the second there were inscruting cuts and a nanger, it was decorated with a gilt and pattern of teeth and spacing in the rim and strips. Both helmets had chain barmits - grid, covered the lower part of the face and neck. Two Chernigov helmets belonging to the X century, according to the method of manufacture and decor are close to the second nesting. They are also an Asian, pointed type and are crowned with hinge with sleeves for plumes. In the middle of these helmets, rhombic lining with sticking spikes are strengthened. It is believed that these helmets have Madjar origin (11).
Northern, Varangi influence manifested itself in the Kiev find of the fragment of the half mask-larva - the typical Scandinavian part of the helmet.
Since the XI century, it has developed on Russia and the peculiar type of spherokonical helmet ended up the spherokonic helmet is fixed. Its an indispensable element was a fixed "nose". And often combined with him half mask with decor elements. From the XII century. Helmets were usually killed from one iron sheet. Then, a separately made half-mask was stuck to it, and later - a mask - a matter, a fully closing face, having, as it is considered, Asian origin. Such masks have particularly spread from the beginning of the XIII century., In connection with the pan-European tendency towards the weighting of protecting weapons. The mask-liner with eye slits and breathing holes was able to protect both from the chopping and from stitching. Since she was attached motionless, then soldiers, so that they were recognized, had to take off his helmet. From the XIII century. Known helmets with bums on a hinge, folding upwards, like picking up.
A somewhat high spherokonical helmet appeared domed. There were also helmets of a unique form - with fields and cylindro-tested tops (known for miniatures). Under all types of helmets, a prehemmer was dressed - "Prilbitsa". These round and, apparently, the low caps are often made with a fur edge of a chain barmith, which was attached to the edges of the helmet and half mask, could reach the sizes of the peeline, covered shoulders and the top of the chest.
As mentioned above, the cololose since ancient times was an integral part of Slavic weapons. Initially, they walked wicker from the rods and were covered with skin, like all Varvarov Europe. Later, at the time of Kievan Rus, they began to make from the boards. The height of the shields was approaching the growth of a person, and the Greeks considered them "hardennosimy". Involved on Rus during this period and round shields of Scandinavian type, up to 90 cm in diameter. In the center and those and others they made a round cut with the handle, with the outside, covered with convex umbon. On the edge of the shield necessarily made the metal. Often the outer side is covered with skin. XI century Dropped (otherwise - "almond-shaped") pan-European type, widely known on various images. At the same time, round funk-shaped, but flat rain shields continued to meet. By the XIII century, when the protective properties of the helmet increased, the upper edge of the drop-shaped shield was straightened, as the need disappeared to protect them. The shield becomes triangular, with the designated deflection in the middle, which allowed him to tightly press it to the body. Simultaneously there were trapezoidal, quadrangular shields. They met at that time and round, Asian type, with a lining on the back side, attached on hand with two belt "columns". This type, most likely, extended from the serving nomads of the Southern Kiev region and along the entire steppe line.
It is known that the shields of different forms existed for a long time and were used simultaneously ( the best illustration of this position is the famous icon "The Church of Militia"). The shape of the shield mainly depended on the tastes and the habits of the owner.
The main part of the outer surface of the shield, between Umbon and an accredited edge, the so-called "crown", was called border and stained to taste the owner, but throughout the use of shields in Russian troops, preference was given to various shades of red. In addition to monophonic color, you can assume the room on the shields of heraldic images. So on the wall of the George Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky, on the shield of St. George depicts a predator of the Feline family, - the shameless lion, or rather, the Tiger - "Lyuty Beast" of Monomakhov "teachings", apparently, which became the state-of-state emblem of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality.
Swords of the IX-XII centuries from Ust - Fishes and streams.
"The sword is the main subject of armament of a professional warrior throughout the entire Domongolian period of Russian history, - he wrote an outstanding domestic archaeologist A.V. Artsikhovsky. - In the Epoch of the early Middle Ages, the shape of swords in Russia and in Western Europe was approximately the same "(12).
After clearing hundreds of blades belonging to the period of the formation of the Kiev Rus, stored in museums of different countries of Europe, including the former USSR, it turned out that the overwhelming majority of their majority were produced in several centers located in the Upper Rhine, within the Frankist Power. This explains their one-dimension.
Swords found in the IX - XI centuries, leading their origin from the ancient Roman long cavalry sword - spats, had a wide and heavy blade, although not too long - about 90 cm, with parallel blades and a wide share (groove). Sometimes there are swords with a rounded end, testifying that this weapon was originally used exclusively as a chopping, although examples of stitching strikes are already known at the end of the X., When two Varyaga from the knowledge of Vladimir Svyatoslavich, having met his brother in the doorway - overthrown Yaropolk, pierced it "under the sinuses" (13).
With the abundance of Latin stamps (as a rule, these are abbreviations, for example, INND - in Nomine Domini, in Nomine Dei - in the name of the Lord, in the name of God), a considerable percentage of blades has a brand or cannot be identified. At the same time, Russian stigma found only one thing: "Lyudosha (Lyudoyan?) Koval." One Slavic stamp, made by Latin letters, is also known, "Zvenislav", probably Polish origin. There is no doubt that the local production of swords existed already in the Kiev Rus X century., But maybe local blacksmiths are less likely to brand their products?
Sheath and handles to imported blades were made on the spot. Only massive, like the blade of the Frankish sword, was his short fat Garda. Ephesus of these swords has a gluing mushroom shape. Actually, the sword's handle was made of wood, horns, bones or skin, outside was often wounded with a twisted bronze or silver wire. It seems that differences in the decorative design styles of the parts of the handle and the sheath are actually much less meaning than it seems to some researchers, and out of here the percentage of one or another nationality in the composition of the databases do not give. The same master could own both various techniques and various styles and decorate the weapon in accordance with the desire of the Customer, and it could depend simply from fashion. The sheaths were made of wood and covered with expensive skin or velvet, decorated with gold, silver or bronze linings. The tip of the sheath was often decorated with any intricate symbolic figure.
Swords of the IX-XI centuries, as in ancient antiquity, continued to wear on the shoulder spooler, raised quite high, so that the handle accounted for above the belt. From the XII century, the sword, as well as in Europe, begin to wear on the knight's belt, on the hips, suspended in two rings at the mouth of the sheath.
Throughout the XI - XII centuries. The sword gradually changed his form. His blade was lengthened, sharpened, soused, crossed the crushes - Garda, Ephesus acquired first the shape of the ball, then, in the XIII century, a flattened mug. By that time, the sword turned into a chopping weapon. At the same time, the trend towards its weighting. "One-time" samples appeared, for operation with two hands.
Speaking that the sword was the weapon of warrior-professional, it should be remembered that he was only in the early Middle Ages, although exceptions for merchants and old tribal nobility existed and then. Later, in the XII century. The sword appears in the hands of militia-citizens. At the same time, in the early period, before the start of mass, serial production of weapons, not every warrior owned by a sword at all. In the first half of the XI century, the right (and the opportunity) has a precious, noble weapon had only a person who belonged to the highest layer of society - the older squad. In the younger friend, judging by the materials of the excavation of a friendly burial, still in the XI century. Only officials owned by swords. These are the commanders of the detachments of junior warriors - "Foci", in peacetime they performed police officers, judicial, customs and other functions and wore a characteristic name - "Mechnikov" (14).
In the southern regions of ancient Russia, from the second half of the 19th century, a saber was distributed, borrowed from the arsenal of nomads. In the north, in Novgorod land, the saber entered the use of much later - in the XIII century. She stood out of the band - Blade and "Cut" - handles. Blade had a blade, two sides - "babies" and "reary". The handle was going from "Fire" - Garda, Stern and Nabeldachnik - Ephesus, in which a cord was trained through a small hole - Doryak. The ancient saber was massive, weakly curved, so much that the rider could be she, as a sword, stabbing lying on the sleigh, about which there is a mention in the story of the time of time for the saber was used in parallel with a sword in areas that bordered with the steppe. The north and west was common a heavy armor, against which the saber was not suitable. For the struggle, with the lightweight Connection of the nomads, the saber was preferable. The author of "Words about the regiment of Igor" noted the characteristic feature of the weapons of the residents of the Steppe Kursk: "They have ... Sabls Isostri ..." (15). From the XI to the XIII century, the saber in the hands of Russian warriors is mentioned in the chronicles of all three times, and the sword is 52 times.
A large combat knife, a typical weapon of the Germans, who met the Typical weapons of the Germans, who occurred throughout Europe, can be raised to the chopping arms and occasionally. There were long been known in Russia and combat knives that constantly occur during excavations. A large length is distinguished from economic outgoing (over 15 cm), the presence of rollers or rigidity ribs (rhombic section) (16).
A very common rubbing weapon in the ancient Russian troops was an ax that had several varieties, which was determined by differences in both combat use and in origin. In the IX-X centuries. In armament of heavy infantry there were large axes - secrets with a powerful trapezoid blade. Appearing in Russia as a Norman borrowing, the sequir of this type remained for a long time in the North-West. The length of the sekirah axira was determined by the growth of the owner. Usually, exceeding the meter, it reached the humility of the standing warrior.
Much more distribution was obtained by universal combat solvents of Slavic type for action with one hand, with a smooth oven and a small blade, with a leaving a beard. From a conventional ax, they differed mainly smaller than weight and sizes, as well as the presence in the middle of the blades in many copies of the hole - for fastening the cover.
Another type was a cavalry solid - a chasane with a narrow wedge-shaped blade, balanced by a helpful volatile or, less commonly, a cluster - clearly eastern origin. There was also a transitional type with a helpful volatory, but wide, more often, equilateral blade. It is also attributed to Slavic. This type belongs to the well-known hatch with the initial "A" attributed to Andrey Bogolyubsky. All three types have very small sizes and fit on the palm. The length of their axes - "Kiya" reached the meter.
Unlike the sword, the weapons first of all "noble", the toporists were the main weapons of the youngest squad, in any case its lowest category - "details". As shown by the recent studies of the Druzhinny Kitsa Morganic Mogilnik at the White Lake, the presence in the burial of the battle toporist in the absence of a sword unequivocally testifies to the belonging of its owner to the lowest category of professional warriors, at least until the second half of the XI in (17). At the same time, in the hands of Prince, the battle ax is mentioned in the chronicles only twice.
There is impact weapons to the melee arms. Because of the production of manufacturing, it received great distribution in Russia. This is primarily of all sorts of Bulava and borrowed in the steppes of the brush.
Bulava - most often a bronze ball, filled with lead, with pyramidal protrusions and a hole for handles weighing 200 - 300 g - was widespread in the XII - XIII centuries. On average, the subway (in third place by the number of weapons finds). But in the north and northeast is practically not found. Also known solo-iron and, less often, stone browsing.
Bulava - weapons mainly equestrian battle, but undoubtedly, widely used and infantry. She made it possible to apply very fast short blows, which, without being fatal, stunned the enemy, was out of order. Hence the modern "stunning", i.e. "To strangle", a blow to the skeleton - to overtake the opponent, while he wakes up a heavy sword. Bulava (also, as a cap or a toporist) could also be used as a throwing weapon, which seems to be evidenced by the Ipatiev chronicle, calling it "Rogatia".
Kisten - GERICK of various molds made of metal, stone, horns or bones, more often bronze or iron, usually rounded, often a drop-shaped or star-shaped form, weighing 100- 160 g. On a strap length to half a meter - it was, judging by frequent finds, very popular everywhere In Russia, but there was no independent value in the battle.
A rare mention in the sources of drum weapons is explained, on the one hand, the fact that it was auxiliary, duplicating, reserve, and on the other - the poetization of the "noble" weapon: spears and swords. After the taranny collision, "Izlomiv" long thin peaks, the fighters were taken for swords (sabers) or hatchets-incomes, and only in case of their breakdown or loss, the turn of the Bulance and Kistaine occurred. By the end of the XII century, due to the beginning of the mass production of clink weapons, hatchets-checks are also transferred to the discharge of a duplicating weapon. At this time, the Obukh Topor sometimes acquires the shape of the Bulava, and the boulava is supplied with a long bent bow down. As a result of these experiments, at the beginning of the XIII century, the emergence of a new type of shock weapon is noted in Russia, the appearance of a new type of shock weapons. To date, three samples of iron eight-blade probably rounded shapes with smoothly referring edges are found. They were found in the south and west settlements from Kiev (18).
A spear - The most important element of the arms of the Russian warrior during the period under review. Copy tips, after arrows, the most frequent of archaeological findings of weapons. Spear undoubtedly was the most massive weapon of that time (19). Without a spear, the warrior did not go to the campaign.
Tips of copies, like other types of weapons, carry on them to print various influences. The most ancient local, Slavic tips are a universal type with a wast-shaped medium width, suitable for hunting. Scandinavian narrower, "lancetons" are adapted for breaking the armor or vice versa - wide, wedge-shaped, laurelistic and diamond, intended for the application of heavy wounds not protected by the enemy's armor.
For the XII - XIII centuries. The standard infantry weapons became a spear with a narrow "armor-piercing" four-end tip about 25 cm long, which indicates the mass use of metal protective weapons. The tip sleeve was called the weapons, an ockep, a oskepp, rattop or the wall. The length of the anti-infantry spear, judging by his images on frescoes, icons and miniatures, had about two meters.
Cavalry spears had narrow faceted tips of steppe origin, used for breaking the armor. It was a first strike weapon. Already by the middle of the XII century, the cavalry spear extended so much that in collisions often broke. "Refracting a copy ..." in the budget poetry became one of the characters of military valve. The chronicles are mentioned about such episodes when it comes to Prince: "Izlomi Andrey Copies his opposite"; "Andrei Same Dürgevichchichki, a copy of his and the Mohas in advance and eaten before Wsyih and Izlomi's spear"; "Vъ" Izyaslav is one in the regiments of the Rattaya, and the spear of your Izlomi "; "Izyaslav Glebovich, the grandson of Yurgeyev, Armosphev with a friend, the Spear ... Evils for the raft to the gate of harsh, Izlomi spear"; "Daniel Spear Spear is in the rolling, emitted by the Spear, and expose its sword."
Ipatiev chronicle, written, in the main parts of his own parts, the hands of secular people - two professionals' warriors - describes such a reception almost as a ritual than is close to Western knightly poetry, where such a blow is challenging countless times.
In addition to long and heavy cavalry and short major infantry copies, although rarely, Hunting Rogatina. The horns had a pen width from 5 to 6.5 cm and the length of the laurel tip up to 60 cm (together with the sleeve). To make it easier to keep this weapon. Two - three metal "bitch" were attributed to his west. In the literature, especially artistic, horns and the ax are often called peasant weapons, but a spear with a narrow, capable of breaking the armor to the tip, much cheaper than hortynes \u200b\u200band incomparably more efficiently. It meets much more often.
Sulita darts have always been a favorite national weapon of Eastern Slavs. Often they are mentioned in the chronicles. And as a melee cringers. The tips of the seal were and sleeve, like copies and sweet, like arrows, differing mainly dimensions. Often they had drawn ends drawn back, which made it difficult to remove them from the body and jar, like the oss. The length of the throwing spear graft fluctuated from 18 to 150 cm.
Bow and arrows used with deep antiquity as a weapon of a hunting and combat. Luke was made of wood (juniper, birch, hazel, oak) or from touring horns. Moreover, in the north, the simple bows of the European "barbaric" type from one piece of wood prevailed, and in the south already in the X century, complex, composite Asian-type bows were popular: powerful, consisting of several pieces or layers of wood, horns and bone linings, very flexible and Elastic. The middle part of such a bow was called handle, and everything else is kibits. Long, curved half onions were called horns or shoulders. The horn consisted of two slats glued together. Outside, it was covered with barking, sometimes, for amplification, with horny or bone plates. The outer side of the horns was convex, internal - flat. The bowls were stuck on the bow, fixed at the handle and ends. The tendons were wound up the connecting places of horns with handle, pre-missing glue. The glue was used high quality, from sturgeon ridges. At the tip of the horns there were upper and lower linings. Through the bottom passed the string woven from lived. The total length of the bow, as a rule, was about a meter, but could have exceeded human growth. Such bows had a special purpose.
They wore onions with a stretched theater, in a leather case - Nauluch, creating to the belt on the left side, and the mouth forward. Arrows for onions could have reed, reed, from various wood breeds, such as apple or cypress. Their tips, which often came from steel could be narrow, faceted - armor-piercing or lanceal, long, pyramidal with lowered stalls, and vice versa - wide and even cougium "Cut" to form large wounds on an unprotected surface, etc. In the IX - XI centuries. It was mostly flat tips, in the XII - XIII centuries. - armorbonic. The case for arrows in this period was called Tul or Tula. He suspended to the belt on the right side. In the north and west of Russia, his form was close to the pan-European, the one that is known, in particular, on the images on the "Tapestry from Bayo", telling about the Norman conquest of England in 1066 in the south of Russia, the Tula was supplied with covers. So about Kujakans in the same "Word about the regiment of Igor" said: "They have a turn out of them", i.e. Led into combat position. Such Tula had a round or boxed shape and was made of birch or skin.
At the same time in Russia, most often by serviced nomads, the quiver of steppe-type was used, which was made of the same materials. Its form is immortalized in Polovtsy stone sculptures. This is a wide bottom, open and narrowing up oval in the section. He was also suspended to the belt on the right side, the mouth forward and up, and the arrows in it, as opposed to the Slavic type, lay the tip.
Onions and arrows - weapons used most often with lightweight Connection - "Silver" or infantry; Weapons of the battle of the battle, although shooting from Luka, this main weapon of hunting, in Russia, were able to absolutely all men. As a weapon of armament, the bow was probably most, including the deugers, than they differed from the Western European knighthood, where the British were owned in the XII century, Norwegians, Hungarians and Austrians.
Significantly later appeared in Russia Arbelt or Supreme. He was much inferior onion in rapidity and maneuverability, significantly surpassing it in price. For a minute, the crossbowdver managed to make 1 - 2 shots, while the archer, if necessary, was able to do up to ten during the same time. But a self-timer with a short and thick metal bow and a wire guide far exceeded onion on the power, expressed in long-distance and the strength of the arrows, as well as cuminess. In addition, he did not require a permanent training arrow to maintain skill. The arbaltny "bolt" is a short self-seamless arrow, in the West sometimes - solokovnaya, pierced any shields and armor at a distance of two hundred steps, and the maximum range of firing from it reached 600 m.
This weapon came to Russia from the West, through the Carpathian Rus, where it is first mentioned in 1159. Safety consisted of a wooden bed with a similarity of the butt and attached to it a powerful short bow. A longitudinal chute was made on the bed, where the short and thick arrow was embedded with a sleeve spear tip. Initially, the onions were made of wood and from ordinary differed only in size and thickness, but later began to be made from the elastic steel strip. It was only an extremely strong person to pull this onion with his hands. The usual shooter was supposed to rest in a special stirrup, attached to the bed in front of the bow and an iron hook, holding it with two hands, pull the tent and put it in a sloping slot.
Special round-shaped trigger, the so-called "nut", made of bone or horns, was attached on the transverse axis. He had a slot for the theater and a curly cut, which included the end of the trigger, in a non-pressed position, knocking out the turn of the washa on the axis, not allowing him to free the tutor.
In the XII century In the equipment of the crossbars, a double waist hook appeared, which allowed to pull the tent, straightening the body and holding the weapon with the foot in the stirrup. The oldest belt hook in Europe was found on Volyn, with excavations of ignition (20).
From the beginning of the XIII century, a special mechanism from the gears and leverage was also used to pull the latch - "Kolotov". Does not the nickname of Ryazan boyar Evpathiya - Kolovrat - for the ability to do without it? Initially, such a mechanism, apparently, was used in heavy machinery, which were often framed by solo-rigs. The gear from such a device was found on the ruins of the deceased city of the city in the modern Bryansk region.
In the House of Domongolsky period, Arbalet (Samostrole) has spread throughout Russia, but nowhere, except for the Western and North-Western outskirts, its use has not been massive. As a rule, the findings of the lugs are the arbalt arrows make up 1.5 - 2% of the total number of them (21). Even in Izborsk, where their largest number was found, they constitute less than half (42.5%), yielding to usual. In addition, a significant part of the arbal arbulent arrows found in the islask - Western, sleeve type, most likely flown into the fortress from the outside (22). Russian arbalt arrows are usually sweet. And Rus Safety - the weapon is extremely serfs, in the field war it was used only in the lands of Galitsky and Volynsky, and not earlier than the second third of the XIII century. - Already outside the period under consideration.
Eastern Slavs with throwing machines met no later than campaigns to Konstantinopol Kiev Princes. The church legend of the baptism of Novgorod residents retained a certificate of how they, breaking up to the middle of the bridge over the Volkhov and installing "Plok" on it, Metali stones in the Kiev "Crusaders" - Dobryny and Press. However, the first documentary evidence of the application of stone movements in Russian lands belongs to 1146 and 1152. When describing the transformation of the Galitsky and Novgorod, Seversky. Domestic wearer A.N. Bricks pay attention to the fact that at about the same time in Russia, the translation of the "Jewish war" of Joseph Flavia becomes known, where throwing machines are often mentioned that it could increase interest to them. Almost simultaneously appears here and manual self-losses, which should also lead to the experiments of creating more powerful stationary samples (23).
Subsequently, the stampel is mentioned in 1184 and 1219.; Known also The fact of the capture of a mobile throwing machine of the type of balleys in the Polovtsy Khan Konchaka, in spring 1185 g. Indirect confirmation of the propagation of throwing machines and machine crossing plates capable of throwing the kernel, serves the emergence of a complex echelonized system of serfs. At the beginning of the XIII century, such a system of shafts and relations, as well as spaced and similar obstacles, located on the outside and similar obstacles, were created in order to push throwing machines outside the efficient range of their action.
At the beginning of the XIII century, half the chat was collided with the action of throwing machines, and for them Pskovichi and Novgorod. The stamperes and crossbows applied the German crusaders against them. Probably, it was the most common in Europe of a balancing and lever type in Europe, so-called Peterners, since the stone men in the chronicles are usually called "vices" or "straws". those. praises. Apparently, similar cars prevailed in Russia. In addition, the German chronicle of Heinrich Latvian often, speaking of Russian defenders of Yuriev in 1224, mentions the ballists and ballistaries, which gives reason to talk about the use of not only manual crossbows.
In 1239, when trying to discharge the Chernihiv deposited by the Mongols, the townspeople helped their saviors, the sword in the Tatar stones that were able to raise only four charges. The machine of a similar power operated in Chernigov and several years before the invasion, when approaching the city of troops of the Volyn-Kyiv-Smolensk coalition. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that in most part of Russia's wide distribution of throwing machines, like the crossbows did not receive and regularly applied only in the south and northwestern items. As a result, most cities, especially in the north-east, continued to arrive in readiness only to passive defense and turned out to be easy prey of conquerors equipped with powerful siege techniques.
At the same time, there is reason to believe that the urban militia, namely, it was usually most of the troops, it was armed no worse than theodal and their warriors. Throughout the period under consideration, the percentage of the cavalry as part of urban militia increased, and at the beginning of the XII century there were completely equestrian trips to the steppe, but even those in the middle of the XII century. There was not enough funds to buy a combat horse, often turned out to be armed with a sword. The case is known from the chronicle when the Kiev "PE SPEATCH" tried to kill the wounded prince to kill the sword (24). Owning a sword by that time has long ceased to be synonymous with wealth and knowledge and corresponded to the status of a full member of the community. So, another "Russian truth" allowed that the "husband", which caused another insult to the blow of the sword, could not have silver to pay a fine. Another extremely interesting example on the same topic leads by I.Ya. Froyanov, referring to the charter of Prince Vsevolod Mstislavich: "If Robichichu, the son of a free man, comes from the slave, even from" Belly's Mala ... "It was assumed to take a horse and armor, then we can safely say that in a society where such rules existed, The weapon was an integral sign of the status of free, regardless of his social rank "(25). We add that we are talking about armor - weapons by road, which is usually considered (by analogy with Western Europe) to the affiliation of professional warriors or feudal. In such a rich country, what is the Domongolskaya Rus in comparison with the countries of the West, a free man continued to enjoy his natural ownership of any weapon, and the possibilities for the implementation of this right was enough at that time.
As you can see, any urban resident could have a combat horse and a complete set of weapons. Examples of this can be brought by many. The confirmation can refer to the data of archaeological research. Of course, in the materials of the excavations dominate the tips of arrows and copies, axes, brushes and boulas, and the objects of expensive weapons are usually found in the form of fragments, but it should be borne in mind that the excavations give a picture in a distorted form: expensive weapons, along with jewels, was considered one of Current trophies. He was collected winners first. He was looking consciously or found randomly and subsequently. Naturally, the findings of the blades of armor and helmets are relatively rare. Preserved. As a rule, what has not been valuable for winners and marauders. The challenges are generally in general, it seems more often found in water hidden or abandoned, buried with the owners under ruins than on the battlefield. This means that a typical set of weapons of warrior of the urban militia of the beginning of the XIII century actually was far from so poor as it was considered to be relatively recently. Continuous wars in which, along with dynastic interests, the economic interests of urban communities were faced. Forced citizens to arm the same extent as the warriors, and their weapons and armor could give up except in price and quality.
A similar nature of social and political life could not not affect the development of weapons craft. Demand generated an offer. A.N. The bricks wrote about this: "The character of military craft production is served as an indicator of a high degree of armament of ancient Russian society. In the XII century, specialization in the manufacture of weapons is noticeably deepened. Specialized workshops for the production of swords, onions, helmets, chain chains, shields and other weapons are arising. "... the gradual unification and standardization of weapons is introduced, samples of" serial "military production appear, which becomes mass." At the same time, "under pressure, the differences in the manufacture of" aristocratic "and plebeian, parade and popular weapons are increasingly erased. The increased demand for cheap products leads to a limited production of unique samples and expanding the release of bulk products (26). Who were buyers? It is clear that there are no princely and boyars rasters (although their number grew), not only the emerging layer of serve, conditional land holders - nobles, and first of all the population of growing and riching cities. "Specialization touched upon the production of cavalry equipment. The saddle, Surprised, spurs became mass products "(27), which undoubtedly indicates the quantitative growth of the cavalry.
Touching the issue of borrowing in military affairs, in particular in armament, A.N. Bricks noted: "We are talking ... about a much more complex phenomenon than a simple borrowing, a delay in development or a distinctive way; About the process that cannot be submitted to cosmopolitan, as impossible to fit in the "national" framework. The secret was that the Russian Rabnes Secondary Military Affairs as a whole, as well as the combat technique, who had the achievements of the peoples of Europe and Asia were not only eastern or only western or local. Rus was an intermediary between East and West, and the Kiev gunsmiths opened a large selection of military products from close and distant countries. And the selection of the most acceptable types of weapons was constantly and actively. The difficulty was that the armament of European and Asian countries was traditionally different. It is clear that the creation of a military-technical arsenal has not coincided with the mechanical accumulation of imported products. It is impossible to understand the development of Russian weapons as indispensable and constant crosses and alternation of foreign influences. Bridal weapons gradually processed and adapted to local conditions (for example, swords). Along with the borrowings of someone else's experience, their own samples were created and used ... "(28).
Especially accounted for the issue On the import of weapons. A.N. Bricks, contradictory, denies the import of weapons on Russia in the XII - early XIII centuries. On the grounds that all researchers during this period marked the beginning of the mass, replicated production of typical samples of weapons. In itself, this can not serve as evidence of the lack of imports. It is enough to remember the appeal of the author "Words about the regiment of Igor" to the Volyn Princes. A distinctive feature of the armament of their troops are called "Latin shells", "Lyatsky's Sulitsa (ie Polish Yu.S.) and shields."
What was "Latin" i.e. Western European helmets at the end of the XII century? This type, most often, deep and deaf, only with slots - eye slots and breathing holes. Thus, the army of Western Russian princes looked completely European, since even if excluding imports, there were such channels of foreign influence as contacts with allies or military extraction (trophies). At the same time, the same source mentions the "swords of a halavor", i.e. Boulat, Middle Eastern origin, but there was a reverse process. The Russian planing armor was popular in Gotland and in the eastern regions of Poland (so-called "Armor Mazovalets") and in a later era of the domination of solo-born shells (29). The shield of the type "lucky", with the share chute in the middle, according to A.N. Kirpichnikova, spread through Western Europe from Pskov (30).
It should be noted that the "Russian set of weapons" never represented a single whole on the expanses of a huge country. In different parts of Russia, there were local features, preferences due to the first arms of the enemy. From the total array, Western and steppe southeastern border zones were noticeably allocated. Somewhere preferred to Nagayk, and somewhere spurs, saber - sword, crossbow - onions, etc.
Kievan Rus and its historical successors - Russian lands and principalities were at that time a huge laboratory, where military affairs were improved, modifying under the influence of warrant neighbors, but not losing the national basis. And the weapons and technical side of it, and the tactical absorbed heterogeneous foreign elements and, processing, combined them, forming a unique phenomenon, the name of which "Russian Lad", "Russian custom", which allowed to successfully defend themselves from the West and east with different weapons and various techniques .
It is not by chance that our story about contact weapons of the ancient Slavs begins precisely from this magnificent weapon. The sword is the main offensive weapon of the Russian warrior warrior, the symbol of the Prince of Power and the Military Emblem of Ancient Russia. The sword was sworn in Igor, concluding a treaty with the Greeks in 944: "And the baptism of Rus Yes, the shields of their own and swords are naked" (and not baptized Russians put their shields and naked swords.) Sword is a sacred weapon. They were treated as a person, considered animate. Unique swords wore names (remember the sword of King Arthur - Eccalibur, or more precisely - Caledver: Eccalibur is a distortion of the name "Calibur", which is a distortion of "Caleduvha", and these names were also magical spells. In Scandinavia, swords often wore name names "Flame Odin", "Dog Helmets", "Fire Shields" - these names were issued by the ancient masters in the upper third of the blade. There is no doubt that Russia did not inferior in this North-Western neighbors: for example, a spear tip is found on which The sacred signs - swastika and solar symbols and ruunic inscription "Tilariths" - "striker" (Runic - the general name of the ancient Scandinavian and ancient-Slavic writing is the common name: the name was one, but the ranks of the characters are different). Swords swore in An important dispute was spoken with them. This is how it describes the Danish ballad "Sword Avenger":
All magical properties relative to the new material for humanity - metal fully passed on the sword. Kuznets, producing a sword, accompanied the work with magical spells, rites. When the Blacksmith worked, he liked himself to God-Creator Svawog, felt he who was involved in the creation of the world. It is clear that the sword born in his arms in the blacksmith, had huge magical properties. There was a solid magical connection between the sword and the owner. It was impossible to say exactly who owned by. It is worth mentioning that in many languages \u200b\u200bthe word "sword" - the female kind, there are names of the swords of the female family (for example, the sword of Roland's knight's sword called "Zhuayes" - "joyful"), so that the sword could be both a true friend and Beloved girlfriend ... Not always the sword was bought on the market: the best swords were not just for the handful of gold, not every person. Such swords themselves choose their owner: to take possession, the hero must make a feat, take the sword in battle. A bright example is a famous sword-folder, hidden under heavy stone: not everyone can leake this stone and get a magnificent weapon. Swords were called on Slavs to solve complex disputes: they were used for fights, and in court.
It is worth saying a few words and the use of a sword in battle. The sword was born as a pure offensive weapon: the warriors drove their swords to their goal. And notice: it was drunk, because the sword is at first to 11v. - Purely chopping weapons. Often even the end of the sword did rounded. Polyes them, as a sword in emergency cases: or when the warrior reached the state of the affect (became the "bersercker") or when the enemy rolling is the only way to vulnerate it (such as protected by a knight-crusader sheathy). In general, the sword, developing as a pure offensive weapon, did not assume the functions of protection, so at first he didn't even have a "fire" - a latch on the handle: the sword strikes were not parried. In view of this, in the VII-X centuries, the sword develops this most concentrate, or as they called it in Russia, "Fire", and with a sword inextricably accompanies the shield. Old Russian sword - weapon score: "Yes, the shields will not be proclaimed with their own and yes, there is no swords of swords" (they will not protect with their shields and will be stamped) or "Single Smead merciless." But some expressions of the chronicle, though later, allow you to assume that the sword is used sometimes and for healing: "Come on to Finish jerk and the sword". There was about 80-90 cm, the blade width was 5-6 cm, the thickness is 4 mm. Along the canvas on both sides of the blade of all the Old Russian swords, there are dents who served to facilitate the weight of the blade. The end of a sword that has not designed for a stitching blow, had a rather stupid point, and sometimes even just spinled. We must, handle and cross the sword almost always decorated with bronze, silver and even gold.
The sword was a weapon, first of all the valiant warriors, boyars and princes: not every warrior possessed a sword: besides the highest price, the technique of ownership of the sword is very complex and not everyone has given it easy.
The sword is the main weapon of the Russian warrior warrior, the symbol of the Prince of Power and the military emblem of ancient Russia. The sword was sworn in Igor, concluding an agreement in 944 with the Greeks: "And not the baptism of Russia and put the shields of their own and swords of their nakedness" (and not baptized Russians put their shields and naked swords.) Russian chronicles and other written sources are fed by references to sword. No less widely represented swords and archaeological material. The bulk of swords, like other weapons, has reached us from x in. The burial of the warriors-Druzhignikov Igor, Svyatoslav and Vladimir Svyatoslavovich were accompanied by a rich set of weapons and various military equipment.
Many classes are separated with sword subclasses, however, the main criterion of the size and structure of the early-service sword in his handles: then they talked to one-handed (the shortest), semi-coarse, who strong man kept with one hand, but no one forbade him to take it into two hands and heroic two-handed swords. Depending on the surroundings, the swords became from the century in the century, then in short, then longer. In the XI-XII centuries, due to the fact that the battles were carried out in a dense rank, swords are shortened on average up to 86 cm. And become easier, less than 1 kg., However, in the XII-XIII centuries, due to the enhancement of the armor, the sword becomes massive: The blade is pulled up to 120 cm. And up to 2 kg.
The famous Russian scientist D.N. Enucin wrote: "Of all the types of weapons, the sword, as the weapon offensive, of course, played in ancient times the most significant role. It was a privileged weapon of a free warrior, the most expensive, which is most appreciated and, Essentially, it was it that solved the outcome of the battle. " Having passed the long way of evolution, the sword in the IX - XIII centuries. In Kievan Rus, it was widespread, although for ordinary citizens and peasants was too expensive and therefore was not allowed.
Swords IX - X centuries. In the literature on enjunction is usually called Caroling, XI - XIII centuries. - Romance or Cappeting. Samples of swords of European types fell on Russia with Varyags - in those days the spread of one or another weapon in the environment of European feudalists was distinguished by an extraordinary speed. In Russia, swords were used almost all types, known in Europe, and in this she did not inferior to the main European countries. At the same time, already in; x in. Eastern swords are well known in Russia, common from the VII century. Arabs and Persians are not less than similar to them in the form of Caroling in Western Europe.
However, already in the X century. Ruses were familiar with the makeup and made swords themselves. Many Muslim authors described the swords of Rus, calling them a terrible weapon. They argued that the Russes constantly wear swords with themselves, they see them to live in them, martial ones at the trial, bring them to the eastern bazaars. Ibn ~ Dasta wrote: "If some of them is born a son, he takes a naked sword, puts it before the newborn and says:" I do not leave you a legacy of any property, and you will only have what you add to myself with this sword " .
Swords were often portrayed in miniatures ancient Russian chronicles. Locality is traced: the ancient events depicted, the more often swords are depicted. On the territory of Kievan Rus, more than 100 Caroling swords and 75 Romanesque were found. Compared to other types of weapons, the sword is not the most frequent find in burials.
Weapons of princes and famous heroes tried to preserve and considered the symbol of invincibility. Memorial weapons were surrounded by special respect, such as the swords of the Pskov Princes of Vsevolod and Dovmont, who kept in the Trinity Cathedral, or the sword of Prince Boris, who hung in the bedroom Andrei Bogolyubsky and was later kept in one of the churches of Vladimir. Sword of Dovmont has a length of 120 cm and a mass of 2 kg and is designed rather for piercing heavy armor than for cutting.
A constructive sword consisted of a wide, double-edged, sufficiently heavy blade and a short handle (black, roof). Parts of the handle were called the apple, black and lights (Gard or Handling). Each flat side of the strip was called a holom or Goml, and the edge - blade. Almost always did one broad or more narrow grooves on the holomers. The first was called a dolt, and the rest of the valleys, in the surprise, the boulders of the blade weapons were often called "grooves for the flow of blood", "bloodstream". However, it is incorrect. Their appearance was a big step forward in the blade technique, they reduced the weight of the blade. Thanks to a dol, the strip could be left even more, without overloading the hand overweight. Sometimes, Dol was decorative. The tip of the sword, which was not designed for a stitching blow, was usually stupid, and sometimes, even just sprawled. Later, when the sword has also acquired a stitching function, his tip is sharpening.
The manufacture of swords was one of the most complex industries of metalworking. Each operation on the workpiece of metal, pulling the strip, polishing, quenching, sharpening, handling, the manufacture of the sheath produced a separate person. The blade passed consistently from the Blacksmith-welder, who slammed the sword's band, to the searperer, then to the grinder, returned from there to the selayer for reloading and release, then went to the polisher and, finally, got to the installer, who did the handle and set. Separately, worked with the installer of the masters of the masters and jewelers, decorated the sword.
Swords of different designs and diverse technologies speak of different schools and stages of development of a clink business in Kievan Rus and Europe as a whole.
Weather blades manufacturing technology we have studied on the basis of a metallographic analysis of 12 specimens of swords. Five swords occur from the nesting mounds, four swords from Mikhailovsky Kurgans, two swords of the Tsneogi Kurganov and one sword from the burdens (ancient Russian city on the River Desna in the Bryansk region). Based on the discovered structural schemes of the metal of the Old Russian swords, we reconstruct their manufacturing technology.
If you believe that the sword is just a rough sharpened piece of iron, you are deeply mistaken. In those days, various ways of welding iron were existed and so that the final product was truly amazing properties. Of course, the most simple was the manufacture of a all-metal sword, but such a one was suitable for peasants and for learning a rated case. The next level was swords cooked from 2-6 stones of iron and steel: steel blade was welded on the iron blank. Such a blade was already suitable for the young warrior or for a peasant in military service.
However, the real military husband had a completely different sword. Everyone knows the word Bulat. What it is? The word that went from the ancient kingdom of Puladi (the territory of modern Turkey, Armenia, Georgia and Iran), where they did the best steel in the world.
Hence the Persian word "Puluad" and the Arab "Al Fund" - steel, in Russia, it turned into Bulat. In general, steel is an iron alloy with other elements, mainly by carbon. But Bulat is not just steel: bouquet swords were able to chop for many years, practically not stupid, iron and steel, not bend, but do not break. Everything is explained by the inhomogeneous content of one percent of carbon in the makeup. The ancient blacksmiths reached this by cooling the iron melt with graphite - the natural source of carbon. The blade made from the resulting metal was subjected to etching and characteristic divorce patterns appeared on its surface: wavy shocking dark strips on a lighter background. This background was obtained dark gray, golden - or reddish-brown, black. Black Bulat was considered more fragile, experienced warriors preferred a golden hue of the blade.
Bulat was also different in quality. They distinguished him in appearance pattern. A large pattern is a sign of good quality, with strips of 10-12 mm, the bully was considered to be a pattern with a pattern of 4-6 mm. And it was absolutely simple was a bully with a thin pattern with a line thickness of 1-2 mm.
The base of the blade of the sword was made of iron or welded from three strips of steel and iron. When the base of the blade was welded only from steel, they took a small-carbon metal.
The cementation of the surface of the cellular sword was also used. Such technology was at the sword from Mikhailovsky Kurgans.
We are in front of us the most typical high-Russian manufacturing technology of the quality product - welding of a soft viscous base with a steel blade and subsequent heat treatment of the entire blade.
If we compare the technological schemes for the production of blades of swords and, for example, Kos, then a lot of total will be discovered: the same multi-layer welding or welding of the steel blade, an outlet of dollars and thermal treatment, the same length and a small thickness of the blade blade and braid blade. The difference is only in the fact that the Spit had one blade, and the sword had two.
Very interesting information about the technique of the production of swords by ancient Russian blacksmiths reports their contemporary, above already mentioned Khorezmian scientist al-Biruni. "The Ruses made their swords from Shapurkan, and the bonds in the middle of Normahan in the middle of Normahan, to give them strength when hit, prevent their fragility. Al-Fund (Steel) does not endure the cold of their winters and breaks when they hit. When they met Fagrand (t. e. with patterned bulk.-LEU.), then invented a weapon from both types of iron-shapurkan and female (i.e. iron) for dollars (i.e.). And they began to get on them on the welded weaving during immersion (in The etcher) are amazing things and rare, those they wished and intended to receive. Al-Farand (Figure) does not work according to the intention in the manufacture (sword) and does not come at will, but it is incident. "
This text is interesting on both sides. First, he confirms the conclusions about the technique of producing blades of swords, made by us on the basis of studying only 12 swords. Technology welcoating steel ("from Shapurkana") blades for iron ("from Normohana") the base of the blade is commonhouse. Secondly, al-Biruni says I am about the superiority of the technique of making a pattern on the blade of swords among Russian gunsmiths. With the appropriate combination of iron and steel bands based on the blade, the ancient Russian blacksmith could get any given drawing with the same rhythm throughout the band, which was especially surprised by the Biruni. The bouquet pattern, as is known from the experiments of P. P. Anosov, chance, since when crystallization of crucible steel in each case, its drawing of structural heterogeneity is obtained.
But as always was one "but": bouquet swords were afraid of northern frosts: the steel became fragile and easily broken. But the blacksmiths found a way out of this situation. In Russia, produced "welding" Bulat. Such Bulat was called Damascus. To obtain this method of Bulat, they took pieces of wire or iron strips, steel, alternately folded (iron-steel-iron-steel, etc.) and then they dug many times, they scrolled many times, twisted these stripes, folded them with harmonica. In a word, the more the blacksmith spends time on the pocket of the metal, the better the blade will turn out. Pretty welding used quite widely. In this case, the base of the blade was welded from the middle iron and two extremely specially welded strips. The latter, in turn, were welded from several rods with different carbon content, then several times twisted and digested in the strip. To the pre-welded and prepared bar, the base of the blade was welded into the end steel stripes - future blades. After welding, the blade was shot in such a way that the steel stripes came out on the blade. Outowing the blade of the specified size, the cuttings of the handle pulled out. The next mechanical operation was chosening. Then the blade was grinding and exposed to thermal processing. After that, the blade was polished, and if a patterned welding was made on the basis of the blade, it was poisoned. The blacksmith did the base of crossroads and imparting the handles. Sometimes the welded steel blades were subjected to thermal processing of additional cementation.
1. Sword from Karabichev. Euro-Russian type handle, the ornament of Byzantine type. 1st floor. XIB
2. Sword from nutrose. Scandinavian type handle, on the blade, the Russian inscription - "Lyudot Koval". XB.
3. The sword from the burial of the warranty on
Vladimir ul. In Kiev. XB.
4. Scandinavian type sword with
Dnieper thresholds. X in.
5. Magyarsky saber. GOCHEVO. XB.
Bulat also differed in character in character: if the pattern is a straight line ("striped") - this is a bad bout, if curved bouquets came across the lines - this is already a good bout ("jet"), the "wavy" pattern is expensive, the "wavy" was very high The pattern, and if the ornament was observed among the patterns, the figures of man or animals were visible - there was no price to such a makeup. Naturally, a good bouquet sword was very and very expensive - they bought it for an equal weight of the sword The amount of gold (1.5-2 kg. - It is for extremely rare exclusive products), so there were many allegedly bouquet swords on the market, but in fact Fake - they only from above were covered with a thin layer of bead steel, and inside was iron. To avoid an unsuccessful purchase, the sword was tested: first, in the ringing: the longer, the lowering of the blade, the better the metal, as already mentioned above, were tested on elasticity. The masters themselves also took care of their authority and every good blacksmith had a stamp, guaranteeing the quality of the sword.
A separate conversation deserves a sword handle. Then the handle was not just a "handle for holding weapons", but by the work of art. On good swords there were beautiful pens with a vegetable pattern, repeating the form of a global tree. The indispensable attribute of the handle of the Slavic sword was the so-called "apple" - the embodious book at the end of Oyoy. It is not easy there for beauty: he acts as a balancer: to bring the center of gravity of weapons to handles - such a weapon work is much more convenient than weapons without a counterweight.
The sword was rushed in the sheath. Bronze and silver tips and other decorations of the sheath are sometimes detected among archaeological material. In the chronicles there are expressions "to expose their sword", etc. The sheaths were made of wood, covered with top of the skin, metal linings were made around the edges. With the help of two rings, the sword was hazarded near the mouth, sometimes, the belt, and more often to the bandy, which was put on the left shoulder. Sword and burial lying next to a man. In the burials, they are found from the IX century - before that sword was considered the property of the genus and did not bow in the burial. Interestingly, when the owner of the sword died and the sword was buried with him, the sword tried to "kill" (after all, he was a living being!) - Mock, break.
Tactical and technical characteristics of swords differ depending on the time and place of their manufacture, of their type. Often they depended on the individual tastes of buyers, as well as their physical data. So, if the length of the sword of a senior adult warranty, buried in Chernigov Kurgan, a black grave - 105 cm, then the length of the sword of his partner-youth - 82 cm. The average length of the old Russian swords 80 is 105 cm, the width of the blade 4 - b cm, the thickness of the middle part of the blade 2.5 - B mm, weight 1 - 1.5 kg. The value of the sword was great. If the spear and shield were estimated at 2 solid, the sword and helmet in 6 solids. This price corresponded to the price of 6 bulls, 12 cows, 3 stallions or 4 mares. The sword in Russia has always been the subject of weapon business. Old Russian merchants bought and sold both their own and foreign products. Interestingly the message of the eastern writers about the fact that from Artania (so they called Russia) brought amazing swords, which could be bent in half, after which the blade was returned to the original form. However, this is, of course, exaggeration. Nor in the West, nor in the east at the time of such weapons was not.
Battle ax
The earthly embodiment of the glorious weapons of the Great Perun was distributed in Russia at least the sword. Often you have to hear that the ax is a purely gangster weapon (remember the children's song: "Knife workers and an ax, romance with a large road") and in ancient Russia, they wrapped out that robbery. It's a delusion. In fact, the ax consisted along with a sword in service with princely friend. The ax was also an indispensable tool when installing military mechanical devices, fortification barriers and for clearing the road in the forest. The same as this weapon is rarely found in the epic heroic epic - it is extremely simple: the ax was a weapon exclusively walking warrior, whereas a richar from the episodes had a mandatory satellite - a loyal horse (for the same reason, many of the heroes in the epic - instead of a sword there is a saber). The hiking warriors were read and loved the ax, especially with him the cult of the Great God of war (see the section "Warrior in the Slavic world"). The ax was convenient in battle with heavy warriors, could easily split the shield in good hands or tear the mail.
There is an opinion that the battle ax compared to the workers was huge sizes. For example, there are many paintings, where there is a huge ax in the hands of Slavyanin or Viking, with a length of the blade almost in the military elbow. This is a delusion, hyperbolization of artists. In fact, the weight of the battle ax did not exceed 500 grams and only real warriors could afford a bigger ax. Of course, the more the ax, the greater its destructive strength, but whether it is worth it for the monstrous strength of the blow to neglect the speed, because while the warrior will be caught up with his huge gun, a promoter rival is already three times to demolish his head, for example, a lightweight saber. Martial tops were reminded to the form of workers, but were somewhat less than them. Slavic soldiers were familiar with a huge number of forms and structures of a combat ax. Among them, there are also those who came from the east, for example, more similar to the kirk, rather than on the ax, the Scandinavians were presented to the Slavs, a broad-circuit ax, and the secretions in those days were mainly called a worker, a carpentine ax. However, their proportions are somewhat unusual.
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| Large working sequir. In the English terminology "BRODAX" (Broad Ax), that is, "Wide Ax" | Martial Tops: Checkan and Bearded | Two-handed Danish Battle Ax Breedox (Breidox), it is a combat sequir, example |
We are accustomed to seeing in the movies and in the pictures in your hands at the semi-rock warrior a huge ax on a short axle - everything is just the opposite. The axis sometimes exceeded the meter in length, while the topor blade had a length of 17-18 cm. And weighed on average, 200-450, while the weight of the peasant secretion (ax) - 600-800. Such axes spread throughout the northern Europe at the turn of the X and XI centuries. Another interesting type of axes - with a straight upper face and a blade drawn down. Such axes spread to Norway, Sweden and Finland in the VII-VIII centuries. In Russia and in Finland, they appear in the X-XII centuries and find great popularity here: such an ax not only cut, but also cut.
So, the battle ax to the XI century there are several main varieties:
bearded ax (Skeggox at Scandinavians) - It is easy to find out on the blade with a beveled down "beard", the weight of the volume is 300-400 grams + ancient.
klevtsi- Axes with a triangular blade, remotely resembling a dagger, often with a ribbed surface. The wounds caused by them practically did not heal;
chekany - some kind of kirk, axes with a narrow elongated blade, intended for penetrating armor due to the small area of \u200b\u200bthe shock surface, from the 14th century a narrow end makes stupid and the check becomes a combat hammer;
secrei (close to use with alabard, in scandins of Breidox) - Axes with a wide blade, placed on the handle with a length of up to 1.8 meters. Often there was also a sword-shaped screwed. In Europe, this was called "Poleaxe" or "Bardishe", it is possible that it was the presence of a tip at the bottom of the tree distinguished her from the working and peasant secretions. Antiquers often sell large working sekira-ax, calling them "Bogatyr ax" or "Alebard". Later, in the XVI-XVII centuries, the Alebard turns into Berdyss, the Streletsky weapon. The name happens probably from the German word "Barda" (Options: "Brada" \\ "Barta" \\ "Helmbarte") in the meaning of the "Broadband Ax" - by the way, excess argument in favor of the name "Alebard".
1. Iron 2. Toporische
3. Sock
4. Blaise
5. Beard
6. Blizzard
7. Shaika
8. Dishina
9. Obukh
Combat axes were used mainly in the north, in the forest area where the cavalry could unfold. By the way, the fighting axes were used and riders - even a small hatchet on a metering tree has a large punchy force. They wore axes over the belt, in special leather covers, or fastened to the saddle.
Toporists Klevtsov and Chekana were traditional weapons of nomads, but since the XI century, after the victory over the Khazar kaganate and the development of cavalry in Kievan Rus, our ancestors began to apply small but very slaughter hatchers.
Technique of work combat axes varied for individual species. According to the official battle classification, this weapon refers to one and a half, i.e. The axes kept both one and two hands, everything depended on the size of the footwear, the axle and the forces of the warrior. Wide-free axes like alabard had a long handle and were strictly two-ways, as weighed decently. At the end of the handle, the knob was often made, designed for better retention in his hand.
No one from the warriors and in the head would not have come to a martial toporest trees or pricking firewood, as they portrayed in feature films and literature. The authors are clearly confused by the working ax (a confusion in terminology interferes with the terminology, because the woodcutter tool was often called secrete) with combat. The ax, intended for the battle, the form of the blade has undergone significant changes (of course, not prior to imitation of the wings of a volatile mouse, the privilege of the parade regalia) and for everyday work was not suitable.
Purely the national type of ax - as it were with a beard. It is perfect for a fight and combines all the best quality of weapons. Its blade is curved to the bottom (so he could also cut), and the slope of the blade is such that the efficiency of the strike is striving for a unit: the whole force applied by the warrior goes precisely to the blow and concentrates in its upper part, which gave a blow to the blow. Through the sides of the footage were placed "cheekovitsy", the rear part was strengthened by the "Mysters", and those and others were intended for the coarse attachment of the ax onto the axle (wooden handle), besides, they prevented him when a deeply fallen ax to pull out, had to swing. The axes of such a form were both combat and workers. Since the X century, they apply to Russia and become the most massive type of ax. Other nations of course, also assessed the Russian invention: such axities are found throughout Europe (however, these finds are dated not earlier than the XI-XI centuries, which proves the Slavic origin of such an ax).
The trait of the Russian ax is a mysterious hole on the blade of axes. Scientists have advanced different hypotheses - from the fact that it is the stamp of the master before the rod was inserted there for the ax that the ax not deeply stuck when he hit. In fact, everything turned out to be much easier: the leather case for the ax was fastened for this hole - for the safety of transportation, and the ax was hung for a saddle or on the wall.
Saber
On the territory of the ancient Russia, the Sabl appears at the end of the IX early X centuries. - And somewhere later competes with a sword. This type of weapon entered the country together with nomads, presumably, the Khazars.
Saber, like a sword, refers to long-lit type. The blade has, as a rule, one-sided sharpening, as this allows you to increase strength due to the thickening of the course. The saber's sword is different, first of all, the form of the working part, besides, it can (theoretically) bend at an angle of 90 degrees without risk to break. Since the saber blade is lighter than the sword, then the end of the blade is expanding to preserve the former blow strength, and the angle between the sides forming the edge is made with such a calculation so that the blade is not painted, and is usually about 15 degrees. The flexibility of the blade is also determined by the corner of the blade.
Length saber - About 90 cm, Weight - 800-1300 gr. This weapon was especially common in the south, where the main part of the troops was cavalry. As mentioned above, the sword was extremely uncomfortable for the rider because of his gravity devoid of sufficient flexibility of the blade and submitted to the Garda of the center of gravity; There was a need to find a replacement. It was here that it was useful to passion from nomads, peoples conducted by half everynasses in the saddle, a saber. The fact is that because of the curvature of the blade, the center of impact of the saber weapons is served to the front combat end, which makes it possible to apply sheer blows from top to bottom, with a delay, increasing the length and depth of the wound. Even if the enemy did not fail at once, it soon weakened from blood loss and pain. In addition, a fairly wide blade allows you to effectively block the opponent's attacks.
Garda Sabli, unlike the sword, had a round shape. It is later reduced to not interfere with the extraction of weapons from the sheath, not cling to the saddle, and later, in about the XII century, disappears at all.
The saber handle was usually made from the selected skin into several layers. Since the weapon came from the steppe and did not recognize the original "his own", he did not accompany such a magic halo as a sword. Therefore, the special wealth of finishing the Russian sabers, unlike the eastern, could not boast. Here, first of all, they took care of not about beauty, but about the convenience of use. In frequent small skirmishes with nomad squads, everything solved the speed, lose the precious seconds, and with them and the heads due to the fact that the finishing of the handle clings for everything in a row, the warriors simply could not.
Two types of saber blades were told in Russia: Khazar-Polovtsy and Turkish (Yathared). Presumably, the synthesis of these types was the third - Jalkan, who had spread only in the eastern principalities. For Jalomania, a sharp leafoidal expansion of the front combat end is characteristic.
The fundamental difference of the sword and saber is that the sword is a weapon, whereas a saber - cutting. Although it is believed that the saber is typically eastern weapons, however, from VII to the XIV century, Arabs and Persians prevailed, as in Europe, a straight sword. Sable loved nomads - Pechenegs and Khazars. Light riders armed with sabers caused a lot of losses to Russian border cities and fortresses. For the first time, it appears in the Eurasian steppes near the VII-VIII century. Motherland Sabli extends from Hungary, Czech theory to Altai and South Siberia. From this territory of the saber and began to spread among the neighboring tribes. In the chronicles, the opposition of the Khazar saber is often found to the Russian straight sword. However, on border with nomads of territories, the warriors also preferred to a saber: since they had to resist the riders, the horse's horse border guards used respect, because for the equestrian warrior it is very convenient. But still a saber can not be crowded with a straight sword, for which there were centuries-old traditions, it was comfortable both and hiking and equestrian warrior.
The sabers of the X-XIII centuries are bent risen and evenly - approximately as Cossack checkers of the end of the XIX century. And from the 14th century they become curve and harder; At the beginning of the 18th century again straightened. The manufacture of a saber was not fundamentally different from the production of swords. However, the decorations on them were much smaller. It is determined by the fact that the sword was decorated in magical purposes: they had magical ornaments and patterns, precious stones as a reward for a good service in battle. In the X-XI, the length of the saber blade was about 1 m. With a width of 3-3-3.7 cm, in the XII century it lengthened by 10-17 cm. And reaches a width of 4.5 cm. The reason for this is the weighting of the armor. We wore a saber, like a sword at the belt. Slavs who took the saber in steppes, advanced its spread further - to Western Europe. According to historians' testimonies, it was the Slavic and Hungarian masters that made the legendary saber of Karl the Great, who later became the ceremonial symbol of the Roman Empire.
Knife
One of the oldest Slavic weapons. Shroudless weapons in the ancient Russian arsenal was represented by knives and, later, daggers. From 
details This type is characterized by the size of the working part, not exceeding the half-meter, more diverse forms of blade; The difference in the above-mentioned species consisted in the form of blades, functional features and quantities of sharpened sides.
KnivesIn fact, it was rather a tool than weapons. They had a one-sided sharpening, although to facilitate penetration when staring with strokes, the blade was slightly sharpened on the side of the well, about 5-6 cm. For Russian knives, a wide massive heavy blade is characterized, more reminiscent of the tessel, as a rule, designed to cut. The edge and blade itself had a predominantly sword-shaped form.
We wore knives over the belt. The way in Europe is not marked in Europe, probably for the reason that the Russian boots were knitted on the leg, and to hide the weapon in them was simply impossible. So numerous Rusichi are the heroes of artwork, getting "appearances", look strange.
As for the daggers, the appearance of them in the XIII century is due to the strengthening of the protective armor, in particular, the appearance of a lamellar armor. Dagger (from the Arab "Handjar" - the value is not quite known) - "Quiet-chopping cold weapons with a short straight or curved, one-or two-chain blade and handle." So Says the dictionary. In this definition, small amendments should be made concerning directly Russian dagger. He had mainly bilateral sharpening and, as a rule, was intended for stitching shocks, its thin blade easily penetrated the gap between the plates, inflicting deep wounds. Curved daggers were used in the south and east. In addition to the handle, Garda also had; The weapon was a reduced raid analogue. We wore it as well as the belt, occasionally hid in the sleeve.
Garda as knives and daggers were predominantly cruciform and relatively small in size. Two types of weapons were kept in different ways: with the dweller grip in Garda, a thumb was resting, with a knife - a little finger, which made it possible to apply it, respectively, stuck and chopping.
In fact, the knife is the only cold weapon used and today both in the army and in everyday life, having many modifications. Daggers were transformed into Bebuts, one of the auxiliary types of cold weapons, applied by machine-gun teams of the Red Army, and bayonet-futsines, having ceased to exist as an independent view. Also, the knife was an indispensable hunting tool. Armed with a good bow and a good knife, a hunter was not afraid of anyone in the forest, even a bear. The knife helped if necessary to divide production right in place, in the forest and home attribute in parts.
A spear
A spearAs a knife is a universal weapon, a military-hunting. Ancient Slav, armed with a spear, alone could shook a big bear. Copy tips - a frequent find of the archaeologist, yielding in the number only the tips of arrows. In the chronicles, almost synonymous combat the expression "break a spear".
Spear - a favorite weapon of Russian warriors and militias - was an arched for a long, 180-220 cm, an anti-sturdy wood, steel (boul) or iron tip. The weight of the tip was 200-400 grams, the length is up to half a meter. The lugs of the Domongolian Rus were divided by about seven types, on the form of the working part. The tree ("Tree", "Sollar", "Oskey") was made from such wood species like birch, oak, ash, maple. It was a diameter of 2.5-3.5 cm. Sometimes the antimony was made by the metal so that the enemy would not overrive it. The tip with a sleeve was embraced on top of it (where and inserted). The tips were reached in the length of the half meter. There were cases of use of whole "swords" on a stick, which can not only prick, but also to chop nicely. The shapes of the tips were diverse, but still the elongated triangular tips prevailed. The thickness of the tip reached 1 cm, and the width is up to five cm. Both cutting edges are sharpened. It was made both all-hand tips and composites: two iron plates were imposed on the steel strip - this tip was made self-folding.
Riders also used spears, but not as medieval European knights in tournaments. The thawed blow to Russia appeared only in the XII century due to the weighting of the armor. From IX to the XII century, the riders beat a spear top down, pre-swollen his hand. First of all, such a spear was distinguished long - 3 m. And the shape of the tip. From the X century the elongated four-mohed tip spreads.
There was also an interesting view of copies with a length of the tip from 30 cm., Weight of its order 1 kg. And the inner diameter of the sleeve is about 5 cm. The tip on the form resembles a bay leaf. Its width - up to 6 cm, thickness - 1.5 cm. This formidable weapon is called rhotina. It is known in Russia since ancient times, but in the X century lost its relevance, giving way to the battlefield by other types of weapons, becoming more weapons of hunting. Rogatina is remembered in the XII century, when, as already mentioned, a significant increase in the armor. Only an experienced warrior could turn with Rhitina well. She easily beat even a knight-crusader. The hunters boldly walked with a hortyna on a bear and a boar. Later in the XIII century appears council, Hybrid knife and spears. It was pointed on one side of the blade of a characteristic knife shape on a spear of a spear. In Western Europe, such a weapon was called "Glef" and was used by infantry. The Sovie "hovered" into the body of a charming warrior, and it was used by the Russian light cavalry of the XV-XVI century. And from a long time and almost modernity, the Council served and the working tool: Luchin tune, to drain the bark with the tree and go to the beast.
All these types of copies are not intended for throwing. Of course, there are exceptions when, by all means it becomes necessary to take revenge on the enemy in the thick of battle. For throwing, special light spears were intended for the seasons (again, no one forbade it in exceptional cases to her and prick). Word sulitsa Comes from the verb to "slut", originally had the meaning of "throwing". You can say that the seal is something average between the spear and the arrow. The length of it is 1.2-1.5 m. Due to the fact that the seals rushed and most of them were lost after the fight, they were not decorated as spears and horns. The tips also for the purpose of economy, they did not fly, but cherry, and they were attached to the side, driven into the tree with a hook end of a hand and lazy to the thread, rope, bark or leather to the antifreeze. The sulisians were hunting, with wider tips, designed to create a large wound, but not mighty a strong armor and military, on the contrary, with narrow, armor-piercing tips.
The characteristic feature of the copies is that they are not only used by the Connection to combat hiking warriors, but, equally, used and infantry for battles with the riding. They wore spears behind her back, or simply in their hands, often them, connected to the bundle, were taken by the army. It did not concern personal weapons, richly decorated or switched, for example, by inheritance - only, so to speak, weapons of mass production, the simplest species.
In addition, it should be noted that on a spear, a little lower than the tip, the sultans from the horse's hair were mounted. They were intended to absorb the blood flowing through the tree so as not to slip hands. With the same purpose was given a small protrusion in the same area. Keepy tips on chorugwas often wore a purely decorative character.
Palice, Bulava, Sixoeker
In this section, it will be not so much about deadly weapons, how much about demoralizing. The one who believes that the ancient wars differed in a huge number of victims, is brutally mistaken. The main task of the army was not to destroy the enemy's magnificently, as many are trying to make it now, but only to break his resistance, collect tribute, hurt people into slavery and thereby ensure the prosperity of their people. There were few dead, whereas were wounded - more than three-quarters of troops have happened (which confirm the chronicle sources). Remember how they talked about the winning army: "It broke out." Did not quarrel, did not say, namely he broke! In such battles, the warriors do not raise each other as a cabbage, and just outlined them: wounded, crippled, stunned. For this, the weapons of this group are ideal. Despite the fact that it does not cause bloody wounds, it can stun the enemy, break the bones. Moreover, the armor didn't save himself from a skillful blow or even a bubbin: a soft chain moved under blows with such impacts, allowing weapons to strike a strong injury or a fracture. Also, the wave was possibly knocking on the head in the helmet, stun the enemy or even split the helmet. So it was quite functional weapon.
And the cloth and the creel occurred from a simple club. However, her simplicity did not interfere with her excellent weapon. Dubin was often equipped with militia and rebellious people. Even in the troops of Emelyan Pugachev, there were people armed with only clubs. Despite its primitive look, Dubube Majets to cause huge damage to the enemy up to the fracture of the bone, and if you remember the huge strength of our great-grandparents, there is no doubt that the dubbers in their hands was truly a deadly weapon. The word "duby" speaks of what material it was made. The best oak is from oak (sorry for the pun), or, at worst, from elm or birch. Moreover, the dumina as a weapon is not just some kind of snag. For the club, the comute part of the specified tree species is best suited, and the place where the barrel goes into the roots - this is the suspicious, the most durable part in the tree, which beat in battle. On the other hand, the dumina was suited for some ease and convenience of holding in hand. There was also a practice in such clubs to fill the nails, which further increased the crushing ability of the club, because the dumina with spikes does not slip and hits exactly in target. However, the line between the club and the pan with the mace is very subtle: in the eponym "Bogatyr word":
... and the blinds they have [Calik] Viaty,
From the end to the end of the lead pierce ...
Bulawa sat down on a wooden handle, and screwed in the most simple, as in this eponym it was made of copper alloys, and lead foured inside. The more powerful impediment of the beam was caught from iron. Also are also mentioned bouquets and boulas. The mace with the iron handle until the middle of the XV century did not meet even in India, from where they later came to us. The fundamental difference of the cloth and makeup in the design of the ass. The cloth is a pear-shaped studded weapon that we used to see in the hands of heroes - they have no more fundamental differences. Bulawe is also characterized by a slightly cubic form with large triangular spikes.
The word Bulava is the meaning of the "bump", the "knob". The combat part is called most often imaginary and head. As already mentioned, the ancient Russian Bulava was, as a rule, iron or bronze must, weighing 200-300 g. Twitted with a wooden handle with a length of 50-60 cm and a thickness of 2-6 cm. Sometimes, in order to The enemy did not overrive the shoe of the shutters, she was trimmed with a copper sheet. Bulaw was used, mainly equestrian warriors for applying an unexpected strike on the garment or shoulder. For the cockpit of the X-XI year, a cubic with four-six pyramidal spikes is characterized. This design served as a prototype to appear in the XIII century the so-called Maulars-Klevtsov, which were imagined by a cube with one long clawed spike. Another, this time the complicated form of bulva is a multiple bulva. She was done so that no matter how the warrior hit it, several spikes spits would fit into the enemy.
From the XIV century in Russia, the six-meter is distributed (he also pernostly) - a pin with six dropped blades, located about the same as the boom plumage. Like the other weapon, the Bulava was decorated with an intricate pattern: between spikes, the ancient masters created intricate Vych. Shestops were listed on our territory Mongol-Tatars.
The form for the Bulander was done like this: At first, the master took the wax and did the union of the future weapon from it, then the wax was circumvented from above the clay. The clay shape was heated and the wax flowed from there. The form is ready.
In Russia, they were told both simple mass boulas and chic gold-plated, designed specifically for a native warrior.
In the end we will tell about an interesting stamp. Many artists (the same that they paint enormous inexperial axes) provide their epic heroes with huge all-metal "shutter" shutters.
In fact, as mentioned above, the tires weighed only 200-300, well, it can be 500 grams - it was enough for a good blow. The booties are the wake of real warriors from fairy tales.
Kisten
1. Angry2. Communication
3. Biot
4. Tellyak
Kyste is an ancient river weapon. The perfect tool for beating people who can almost be killed, besides convenient in transportation. Generally speaking, good weapons are not only for the robber, but also for the traveler - these most thugs to drive away: "Kysterk - with a cam, and with him good," says the proverb. Unlike Bulava, weapons are universally - they can be equally affixed by the enemy and walking and horsechain. However, the chain demands from the owner of a large art of handling themselves - otherwise you will more often get the greece on our forehead or back than in the opponent. Also, the brush served and the arms of the warriot. Sometimes the next reception was used: all the same garings were tied to the rope and the warrior, wound her to her hand, launched a girc in the opponent.
The brush is a pear-shaped weight of 100-500g. Attached to the chain or belt, which, in turn, are attached to the handle. It can be argued that the chain is a purely Russian invention, which was used by the Slavs in the VI century. The word "chain" occurs, most likely not from the word "brush", from the Turkic word, sounding the same, but denoting "stick", "Duby", although disputes are possible on this.
In the X century, the kitchen used throughout Russia. The weight was done from a very durable and heavy elk horns. In the bone pear, the hole was drilled, where the metal rod with the loop was inserted, to which the chain or belt was attached. The brush is also decorated, like any other weapon, some of them can notice the princely signs, intricate patterns, silver and gold inlaid. In the same X century, metal - iron and bronze giri begin to do. The technology of their manufacture does not differ from the production of knobs for the male.
The chain was still, weapon more people than military. They did not disperse the rebellion with rebellions. For example, the famous leader of the Czech uprising in the XV century, Yang Zhiwood is certainly depicted with a bristle or a combat chain (also by the type of kitchen).
A no less common myth was the existence of multiple chains in Russia. Similar weapons could be found in single copies, no more. The main distribution of this modification was obtained in Switzerland and Germany, where you know called "Morgenshtern" - translated from the German - morning star.
Conclusion
Of all the richest arsenal of our ancestors, only knives are preserved without any special changes, as well as the daggers-transformed in the bayonets, who give firearms with stolen properties, which made it possible to use it in the near battle. But this is the topic of a separate study.
It should also be considered that exceptions are exceptionally from each rule, and this work concerns the most common types of weapons manufactured by Russian blacksmiths. Do not forget that rare weapons that came from other countries could be used in Russia, which came from other countries as a trophy made for special order, etc. Such a weapon existed in single copies, and should not be based on, for example, a single hatch found in the burial, argue that there were Russian Francisians or something like something. Similar errors allow novice archaeologists and weapon experts.
In the centuries-old struggle there was a military organization of Slavs, their military art arose and developed, which had an impact on the state of troops of neighboring peoples and states. Emperor Mauritius, for example, recommended by the Byzantine army widely use the methods of warfare applicable to the Slavs ...
With this weapon, Russian warriors owned well and under the team of brave military leaders who have once borrowed victories over the enemy.
For 800 years, Slavic tribes in the fight against the numerous peoples of Europe and Asia and the powerful Roman Empire - Western and Eastern, and then with Khazar Kaganat and Franks defended their independence and united.
Quystery is a short belt whip with a suspended iron ball. Sometimes more spikes were attached to the ball. The bristle applied terrible blows. With minimal effort, the effect was stunning. By the way, the word "stunning" used to "knock on the enemy cryophek"
The head of the sixfold consisted of metal plates - "feathers" (hence his name). The six-meter, common in the XV-XVII centuries, could serve as the sign of the warlords, remaining a serious weapon at the same time.
And Bulava, and the six-meter lead their origin from the cloth - a massive club with a thickened end, usually with iron or stolen with large iron nails, which has also been in service with Russian warriors for a long time.
A very common rubbing weapon in the ancient Russian troops was an ax, who used the princes, and princely warriors, and the militia, both hiking and equestrian. However, there was a difference: the hiking was more often used by large axes, equestrian-ax, that is, short axes.
And those and other axes put on a wooden axle with a metal tip. The rear flat part of the ax was called a volatory, and Toporka - a church. The blades of the ax were a trapezoidal form.
Large wide ax was called Berdyss. His blade - Zhelezko - was long and sat on the long axle, which was on the lower end there was an iron dock, or a weed. Birdish was used only by infantrymen. In the XVI century, Birdyshi was widely used in Streletsky troops.
Later in Russian troops appeared alebards - modified axes of various shapes ending in a spear. The blade was satisfied with a long antibody (ax) and often decorated with gilding or chasing.
A variety of metal hammer, pointed by the footage, was called a Checkan or a cluster. Checkan sat on the toporishche with a tip. There were checks with impaired, hidden dagger. Checkan served not only with a weapon, he was a distinctive affiliation of military leaders.
The cringers - spears and horns - as part of the armament of the ancient Russian troops had no less meaning than the sword. Spears and Horthines often solved the success of the battle, as was the Battle of 1378 on the river, in Ryazan land, where the Moscow horse shelves were tilted with a Mongolian army on three sides and defeated it.
Copy tips were perfectly adapted for breaking the armor. To do this, they were made narrow, massive and elongated, usually quadrogenic.
Tips, diamond, laurelistic or wide wedge-shaped, could be used against the enemy, not protected by armor. A two-meter spear with such a tip applied dangerous ripped wounds and caused the fast death of the enemy or his horse.
Spear consisted of a shaft and blades with a special sleeve, which sat down on the tree. In the ancient Russia, the treks called the ice-based (hunting) or rattop (combat). They made them of oak, birch or maple, sometimes using metal.
The blade (the tip of the spear) was called the pen, and his sleeve was called the flow. It was more commonly integrity, however, welding technologies from iron and steel strips were used, as well as cellular.
The horns had a tip in the form of a laurel sheet of a width of 5-6.5 centimeters and up to 60 centimeters long. In order for the warrior to be easier to keep the weapon, there were two or three metal bitch to the Rhotina Agriculture.
A variety of Horthine was the Council (owl), which had a curve of a strip with one blade, slightly curved at the end, which was satisfied with a long stern.
In the Novgorod first chronicle, it is recorded as a broken army "... Spilly on the forest, marking weapons, and shields, and owls, and all from ourselves."
Sulita was called a throwing spear with a light and thin squeak length up to 1.5 meters. The lugs of the sulitis are sweet and sleeve.
Old Russian warriors protected from cold and throwing weapons using shields. Even the words "shield" and "defense" are single. Shields were used since ancient times and up to the spread of firearms.
At first, it was the shields that served the only means of protection in battle, chain rails and helmets appeared later. The earliest written certificates of Slavic shields were found in the Byzantine manuscripts of the VI century.
By definition of the delegated Romans: "Each man is armed with two small spears, and some of them and shields, strong, but hard-only".
The original feature of the heavy shields of this period was sometimes spent in their top of the ambrusuras - windows for review. In the early Middle Ages, the militias often did not have helmets, so they preferred to hide behind the shield "with head".
According to legends, Berseries in the fighting fury gnawed their shields. Messages about such their custom, most likely fiction. But about what exactly fell in its foundation, it is not difficult to guess.
In the Middle Ages, strong warriors preferred not to inquer their shield with iron from above. The ax still did not break off from hitting the steel strip, but in the tree he could get stuck. It is clear that the topographic shield should have been very durable and heavy. And his upper edge looked "gledged".
Another original side of the relations between the berserkov with its own shields was that other weapons from the "warriors in bear skins" were often no expected. Berserk could fight with one shield alone, inflicting blows to his edges or simply by turning enemies to the ground. Such a battle style was known in Rome.
The earliest finds of the elements of the shields belong to the X century. Of course, only metallic parts are preserved - Umbon (iron floor in the center of the shield that served to reflect the strike) and the films (fastening along the edge of the shield) - but they managed to restore the appearance of the shield as a whole.
According to the reconstructions of archaeologists, the shields VIII - X centuries had a round shape. Almond-shaped shields appeared later, and the shields of triangular shape were known from the XIII century.
Ancient Russian round shield has a Scandinavian origin. This makes it possible to use the materials of the Scandinavian burial grounds for the reconstruction of the Old Russian shield, for example, the Swedish tag grave. Only there we found 68 shields. They had a round shape and diameter to 95 cm. In three samples it was possible to determine the tree of the tree field tree - it's maple, fir and tees.
Also installed the breed and for some wooden handles is juniper, alder, poplar. In some cases, metal handles made of iron with bronze linings were found. Such a lining was found in our territory - in Old Ladoga, now it is stored in a private collection. Also, among the remains of both the Old Russian and the Scandinavian shields, rings and brackets for belt mounting shield on the shoulder were found.
Helmets (or shells) are a type of combat head. In Russia, the first helmets appeared in the IX - X centuries. At this time, they received their spread in Front Asia and in Kievan Rus, but in Western Europe were rare.
The helmets appeared later in Western Europe were lower and cereal in the head, unlike the conical helmets of the Old Russian warriors. By the way, the conical form gave great advantages, since the high conical tip did not give a direct strike, which is important in the areas of equestrian battle.
Helmet "Normanskogo-type"
Helmets found in the burials of the IX - X centuries. Have several types. So one of the helmets from the nesting mounds (Smolenshchina) was a hemispherical shape, shy on the sides and on the ridge (from his forehead to the back of the head) with iron strips. Another helmet from the same burial was typically Asian shape - of the four gloping triangular parts. The seams were covered with iron stripes. Attended by imaginary and lower rim.
The conical shape of the helmet came to us from Asia and is called "Norman-type". But soon she was ousted by the Chernihiv Type. It has a greater sphericality - has a spherokonic form. From above there are imparting with sleeves for plumes. In the middle, they are strengthened with spiked overlays.
Chernigov type helmet
On the old Russian concepts, actually combat robe, without a helmet, and was called armor; Later this word began to be called all the protective equipment of the warrior. Kolchug for a long time belonged to the undisputed championship. It was used throughout the X-XVII centuries.
In addition to Kolchug in Russia, it was adopted, but before the XIII century, protective wear from the plates did not prevail. Plastic armor existed in Russia from the IX to the XV century, scaly - from the XI to the XVII century. The last type of armor was distinguished by special elasticity. In the XIII century, a number of details such such that reinforcing the body of details are distributed, like ledges, knee pads, breastplate (grazing), wrapping.
To strengthen the mail or shell in the XVI-XVII centuries, additional armor was used in Russia, which were put on top of the armor. These armor were named grazles. They consisted in most cases of four large plates - front, rear and two side.
Plates whose weight rarely exceeded 2 kilograms, combined between themselves and fastened on the shoulders and sides of belts with buckles (shoe and bypass).
The grazor, polished and cleaned to the mirror glitter (hence the name of the armor), often covered with gilding, decorated with engraving and chasing, in the XVII century most often had a purely decorative character.
In the XVI century, a ring shell and chest armor from the rings and plates arranged like fish scales are obtained in Russia. Such armor was called a bachder.
A bashter was gathered from the vertical rows of oblong plates connected by rings with short lateral sides. Side and shoulder sections were combined with belts and buckles. Kolly hem, and sometimes gates and sleeves increased to the bummer.
The average weight of such armor reached 10-12 kilograms. At the same time, the shield, having lost its combat value, becomes a branded ceremonial subject. This also applied to Tarch - the shield, which was immersed by a metal hand with a blade. Such a shield was used in the defense of fortresses, but met extremely rarely.
Bakhthers and Shield-Tarch with a metal "hand"
In the IX-X centuries, the helmets were made from several metal plates connected with rivets among themselves. After the assembly, the helmet was decorated with silver, gold and iron overlays with ornaments, inscriptions or images.
In those days, smoothly curved, elongated up the helmet with a rod upstairs. The helmets of such a form Western Europe did not know at all, but they were widespread both in Front Asia and in Russia.
In the XI-XIII centuries, the helmets of the dome and spherokonic form were common in Russia. Upstairs, the helmets often ended the sleeve, which was sometimes supplied by the Yalovitz flag. At the early time, the helmets were made from several (two or four) parts, glued together. There were helmets and from one piece of metal.
The need to strengthen the protective properties of the helmet led to the appearance of crop-boring mud-shaped helmets with a nose or mask-larger (pick). The neck of the warrior sheltered the Barmith grid, made from the same rings as the mail. She was attached to the snow from behind and from the sides. Noble warriors helmets were separated by silver, and sometimes they were completely gilded.
The earliest appearance of headlongs with a circular chain barmice, which made to the wint of the helmet, and in front of the steel half mask seated to the lower edge, can be assumed no later than 10 centuries.
At the end of the XII - early XIII century, in connection with the pan-European trend towards the weighing of defensive armor in Russia, helmets appear, equipped with a mask, who defended the face of the warrior, both from the chopping and sting. The masks of the larvae were supplied with eye slits and nasal holes and closed the face or half (half mask) or entirely.
The helmet with the larva was put on the handmaker and rushed with the barmice. The masks of the larva, besides his direct destination - to protect the face of the warrior, should have been also an opponent to their appearance. Instead of a straight sword with a saber appeared - a curved sword. The saber is very convenient for combat cutting. In the skillful hands of a saber, a terrible weapon.
For about 1380, firearms appeared in Russia. However, the traditional cold weapons of the near and long battle has retained its meaning. Peaks, horns, brushes, brushes, shehes-tops, helmets, shells, round panels for 200 years almost without significant changes were in service, and even with the advent of firearms.
Since the XII century, the gradual weighting of weapons both rider and infantry is beginning. A massive long saber appears, a heavy sword with a long crosshair and sometimes one-hour handle. The enhancement of protecting weapons is evidenced by the receipt of a shock with a speech in the XII century.
The weighting of the equipment was not significant, because it would make a Russian warrior in bad and turned it into a faithful target for a steppe nomad.
The number of troops of the ancient Russian state reached a significant figure. According to the chronicler of Lev Diacon, at the campaign of Oleg on Byzantium, he participated in 88 thousand people, in a hike in Bulgaria, Svyatoslav had 60 thousand people. As a command formulation, Rati Russov sources call the governor and thousands. Help had a certain organization associated with the device of Russian cities.
The city exhibited a "thousand", which delivered hundreds and dozens (on the "ends" and streets). "Thousand" commanded the crowded vechery thousand, subsequently, the prince subsequently applied. "Hundreds" and "dozens" commanded the elected Sotskiy and the Ten. The cities put the infantry, which at that time was the main sense of troops and was divided into archers and speakers. The kernel of the troops were princely squads.
In the X century, the term "regiment" as the name of the individual troops is applied for the first time. In the "Tale of Bygone Years" for 1093, the regiments are called military units shown on the battlefield by individual princes.
The numerical composition of the regiment was not defined, or, in other words, the regiment was not a certain unit of organizational division, although in the battle, with the arrangement of troops in a combat order, the division of troops on the shelves was significance.
Gradually developed a system of recovery and promotions. For later data, gold hryvnia (cervical hoops) were issued for military differences and merit.
Golden hryvnia and golden bowls of wooden bowl with fish image
The heavy warrior in the XII-XIII century owned a cold weapon - spear and sword.
In the XII-XIII centuries, swords of all kinds known at the time in Western Europe were used in Russia. The main type of cold weapons of warriors of the XII-XIII century was double-edged blade 5-6 cm wide, and about 90 cm long with a deep dolt,
a short handle with a small garard, the total weight of the sword was about 1 kg. 
In Western Europe, a long sword called name "Caroling",named so by name Karl of the Great, Rodnodarch Karoling - royal and imperial rulers dynasty Frankish state in 687 - 987 years. "Caroling Sword" is often referred to as "Wiking Sword" - This definition is introduced by researchers and collectors of weapons of the XIX-XX centuries. Usually, russian sword and sword "Caroling" were made in the same weapons workshops.
Large weapons were in Ladoga, Novgorod, Suzdal, Pskov, Smolensk and Kiev. There is a discovery of a blade from a phostead, considered Scandinavian due to the Scandinavian ornamental ornament, although this ornament can be considered a stylized coil. In addition, when clearing the found Blade, the inscription Ludos or Lyudos Koval was revealed, which unequivocally speaks about the Russian master of gunsmith. On the second sword there is an inscription of Gloria, which also confirms the work of the Russian gunsmith. Forge sword In the XII-XIII centuries, only wealthy warriors could afford.
Old Russian suspension champ manager
Swords Nestovsky Kurgan Just incredibly richly decorated. Diffin on the feature of Slavic swords, except for the form of imparting and ornaments, can be considered a skillful luxury finish.
Known itself late 12th century sword, found in East Germany representing a single sample combining a signature Vlfberht with the Christian inscription "In the Name of God" (+ Iiniominedmn).
Swords with the inscription "+ VLFBERHT +" It was so durable that in the Middle Ages were considered almost magic weapons. We used such swords, of course, only the most notable and skilled warriors. In the era, when the best warriors wore mail, the sword of Ulfquurdy pierced this defense better than other swords.
The most mysterious in the finds of the swords of Ulfbert (Ulfberht) is not at all in their serial, mass production, but how much skillfully they were made . Results of modern metallographic studies show that franconian-Alemann Swords of the Early Middle Ages Presented products of the highest level of skill. Metalographic data of swords showed that it consists from the welded in the racing furnace steel Special sample with very low sulfur and phosphorus and carbon peak 1.1%. If there will be too much carbon in the steels, the sword will be broken, and if the carbon is too small, then the sword will simply be afraid. The structure of early medieval blades was very volatile: there were simple carbonated iron swords and complex composite blades, as in Damascus swords. It can be assumed that the value of the Ulfberht brand has arisen due to progressive Technology racing furnace and forging.
As for use crucible steel in European weapons , there is no reliable evidence yet. As an indicator of the use of crucible steel Williams indicated the measured Carbon content about 1.0%
Archaeologists and metal specialists believe that swords with the inscription "+ VLFBERHT +"
too well done for the Middle Ages, modern scientists can not understand how simple artisans of the Middle Ages managed to achieve such a high cleanliness of the alloy, which ensured the incredible strength of cold weapons made from high quality steel
. Similar improved Metal composition was achieved
almost for millennium later - only during the industrial revolution of the eighteenth-nineteenth centuries.
Any settlement has the borders that need to be protected from the invasion of the enemy, in large Slavic settlements, this necessity always existed. During the ancient Russia, conflicts spread the country, they had to fight not only with external threats, but also with tribesmen. Unity and consent between princes helped to create a great state, which became defensive. Old Russian warriors stood under one banner and showed their strength and courage to the whole world.
Druzhina
Slavs were peace-loving people, so the ancient Russian warriors were not too distinguished against the background of ordinary peasants. On the defense of his house became with horns, axes, knives and clubs. Military equipment, weapons appear gradually, and it is more focused on protecting its owner than to attack. In the 10th century, several Slavic tribes around the prince of Kiev, which collects Podachi and protects the territory from the invasion of Stepnikov, Swedes, Byzantines, Mongols. A friend is formed, the composition of which is 30% composed of professional military (often mercenaries: Varyags, Pechenegs, Germans, Hungarians) and militias (VOI). During this period, the arms of the ancient Russian warrior consists of a cloth, a spear, a sword. Easy protection does not argue the movement and provides mobility in battle and hike. The main infantry was, horses were used as pack animals and to deliver warriors to battle places. Cavalry is formed after unsuccessful clashes with steppes, which were excellent riders.
Protection
Old Russian wars wore the usual villages for the population V - VI centuries shirts and ports, shovel in Napti. During the Russian-Byzantine war, the enemy was amazed by courage and courage "Rusa", which fought without protective armor, hiding behind the shields and using them at the same time as a weapon. Later appeared "Floor", which essentially was a shirtless shirt, she was trimmed with plates from horse's hoofs or skin slices. In the future, metal plates were used, protecting the body from chopping and enemy strikes and arrows.
Shield
The armor of the ancient Russian warrior was light, it provided high maneuverability, but at the same time reduced the degree of protection. Large, in human growth was used by the Slavic peoples since ancient. They covered the head of the warrior, so in the upper part there were a hole for the eyes. Since the X century, shields are made of round shapes, they are surrounded by iron, tightening the skin and decorated with various generic symbols. According to the testimony of Byzantine historians, the Russians created a wall of shields that were tightly closed with each other, and put a spear forward. Such tactic did not give the opportunity to break the enemy to break through the rear of Russian troops. After 100 years, the form adapts to the new branch of the troops - cavalry. Shields become almond-shaped, have two fasteners designed to hold in battle and march. With this type of equipment, the ancient Russian warriors went hiking and stood on the protection of their own lands until the invention of firearms. Many traditions and legends are associated with shields. Some of them are "covered" until today. The fallen and wounded warriors brought home on the shields, due to the flight, the retreating shelves threw them under the feet of the horses of the pursuers. The prince Oleg hangs the shield on the gate of the defeated Tsargrad.
Helmets
Old Russian warriors up to the IX - X century wore ordinary caps on the head, which did not protect the enemy from chopping strikes. The first helmets found by archaeologists were made in the Norman type, but they were not widespread in Russia. More practical and therefore widely used conical form. In this case, the helmet in this case swallowed from four metal plates, they were decorated with precious stones and feathers (noble warriors or the governor). Such a form allowed the sword to slip, not causing a man of great harm, the leather lodder or felt soften the blow. Changed helmet at the expense of additional protective devices: Barmitsa (chain mesh), nnock (metal plate). The use of protection in the form of masks (larva) in Russia was rare, most often these were trophy helmets that were widely used in Europe. A description of the ancient Russian warrior, preserved in the chronicles, suggests that people were not hidden, and the opponent could be a formidable look. Helmets with half-mask were manufactured for noble and rich warriors, they are characterized by decorative details that have not carried protective functions.
Kolchugi.
The most famous part of the venues of the Old Russian warrior, according to archaeological excavations, appears in the VII - VIII century. Kolchug is a shirt made of metal rings, tightly interconnected. At this time, the masters were quite difficult to make such protection, the work was fine and occupied a large period of time. The metal ran into the wire, from which rings were folded and welded, fixed with each other 1 to 4. at least 20 - 25 thousand rings went to the creation of one chain, the weight of which was from 6 to 16 kilograms. Copper links were woven to decorate in the canvas. In the XII century, a stamping technology is used when wicker rings flattened that provided a large area of \u200b\u200bprotection. In the same period, the chain mills become longer, additional elements of the armor appear: Agriculture (iron, woven stockings), Barmitsa (grid for protecting the neck), braceling (metal gloves). Under the challenge we were put on quilted clothes, softening the stream. Simultaneously in Russia, the basis (shirt) was used for the manufacture, on which thin iron lamels were tightly attached. Their length was 6 - 9 centimeters, width from 1 to 3. Plastic armor gradually crowded the mail and even sold to other countries. In Russia, scaly, lamellar and chain armor are often combined. Yushman, Bakhthers were essentially rings, which to increase protective properties were supplied with plates on the chest. At the beginning there is a new type of armor - the grazing. Metal plates of large size, tested to shine, as a rule, put on top of the ring. On the sides and on the shoulders, they were connected to leather belts, often decorated with various kinds of symbols.
Weapons
The protective clothing of the ancient Russian warrior was not impenetrable armor, but he was easily ease, which ensured greater maneuverability of warriors and shooters in a fight. According to information received from the historical sources of Byzantines, Rusichi was distinguished by a huge physical force. In the V - VI centuries, weapons of our ancestors were quite primitive used for melee. To apply significant damage to the enemy, it has been high and additionally equipped with affluent elements. The evolution of weapons occurred against the background of technical progress and changes in the battle strategy. Throwing systems, siege machines, stitching and cutting iron guns were used for many centuries, while their design was constantly improved. Some innovations adopted from other peoples, but also Russian inventors and gunsmiths have always differed originality of the approach and reliability of manufactured systems.
Shock
Weapons for the melee are known to all nations, at the dawn of the development of civilization, it was the main type of her species. This is a heavy obube, which turned around at the end with iron. In some embodiments, metal spikes or nails appear. Most often in Russian chronicles are mentioned along with the tower of the chain. Due to the simplicity of manufacturing and efficiency in battle, shock weapons were widespread. The sword and the saber partially displaces it, but the militia and the warning continue to use it in battle. Historians created on the basis of chronicle sources and data excavations a typical portrait of a man who called the ancient Russian warrior. Photographs of reconstructions, as well as the image of the heroes that have been preserved before our time, necessarily contain any type of shock weapons, most often in this capacity is the legendary bulva.
Crawling
In the history of ancient Russia, the sword is of great importance. It is not only the main type of weapon, but also the symbol of the princely power. The knives used had several species, they carried the names at the place of wearing: Zapoda, waist, subsided. They were applied along with the sword and the Old Russian warrior changes in the X century, a saber come to change the sword. Her combat characteristics of the Russians appreciated in battles with nomads, whose borrowed form. Spears and horns belong to the most ancient types of cork weapons, which was successfully used by warriors as defensive and offensive. With parallel use, they evolved ambiguously. Horthins are gradually crowded with spears, which are improving in the seal. The topors fought not only peasants (Wari and militia), but also a princely squad. At horse warriors, this type of weapon had a short handle, the infantry (warriors) used topores on long trees. Berdysh (an ax with a wide blade) in the XIII - XIV century becomes a weapon later, it is transformed into alabard.
Rifle
All means used daily on the hunt and in everyday life were used by Russian warriors as military weapons. Luke was made of animal horns and suitable wood rocks (birch, juniper). Some of them were more than two meters long. Shoulder quiver used to store arrows, which was made of leather, sometimes decorated with brocade, precious and self-combine stones. For the manufacture of arrows used reed, birch, reed, apple tree, to the rays of which the iron tip was attached. In the X century, the design of the bow was quite complicated, and the process of its production is time consuming. Self-rails were a more effective view of their minus consisted in a smaller speed of shooting, but at the same time the bolt (used as a shell) caused greater harm, punching the armor when the armor hit. It was difficult to tighten the tent of the samostrola, even strong warriors rested for this in the bow. In the XII century, the hook was used to accelerate and facilitate this process, which archers wore on the belt. Until the invention of firearms, Luke was used in Russian troops.
Equipment
Foreigners who attended the Russian cities of the XII - XIII century, were surprised how equipped warriors. With all the visible bulkness of the Armor (especially in heavy contesions), riders easily coped with several tasks. Sitting in the saddle, the warrior could hold the reins (rule the horse), shoot from the onion or mansory and prepare a heavy sword to her neighbor. The cavalry was a maneuverable shock force, so the equipment of the rider and the horse should be light, but strong. Breasts, cereals and sides of the combat horse were closed with special seals that were made from matter with ochemic iron plates. The equipment of the ancient Russian warrior was thought out to the smallest detail. The saddles made of wood were allowed to turn the archer to turn in the opposite direction and shoot at full speed, while controlling the direction of movement of the horse. Unlike European warriors of the time chained in armor completely, the light armor of the Russians were focused on fighting with nomads. Noble nobles, princes, kings weapons and armor were combat and front-end, which were richly decorated and equipped with a symbolism of the state. They accepted foreign ambassadors and went to the holidays.
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