ANCIENT EGYPTian swords and khopesh
Unlike the other arms used by the ancient Egyptians, swords were a direct consequence of the introduction of metal. There are no stone predecessors of this kind of weapon. Axes, arrows and spears have a long wooden handle or shaft and a small cutting or piercing head which was fashioned of flint during the Neolithic.
Swords on the other hand have short wooden or ivory handles and long cutting edges, which could only be achieved with a metal harder than copper. Bronze, easier to cast than copper and significantly harder, was first used for making swords. Its natural temper could be further augmented by repeated heating and cooling and hammering..
The khopesh is probably the most iconic of the Egyptian weapons. It features a curved, thick blade and measured about two feet long. A khopessh has a thick, crescent shaped blade that is used for slashing. There are several styles of this wicked weapon, and one very well designed style that combines the advantages of both of them. Basically one style has a hook on the end that is used for grabbing people, their weapons or shields and the other variety has a point on the end that can be used for stabbing. The hybrid type has both a point and a hook on it, and this can be used to pull an opponent’s shield down then thrust (stab) the end of the khopesh into their face. There is nothing nice about a Khopesh, it leaves nasty wounds and looks vicious.
Swords on the other hand have short wooden or ivory handles and long cutting edges, which could only be achieved with a metal harder than copper. Bronze, easier to cast than copper and significantly harder, was first used for making swords. Its natural temper could be further augmented by repeated heating and cooling and hammering..
The khopesh is probably the most iconic of the Egyptian weapons. It features a curved, thick blade and measured about two feet long. A khopessh has a thick, crescent shaped blade that is used for slashing. There are several styles of this wicked weapon, and one very well designed style that combines the advantages of both of them. Basically one style has a hook on the end that is used for grabbing people, their weapons or shields and the other variety has a point on the end that can be used for stabbing. The hybrid type has both a point and a hook on it, and this can be used to pull an opponent’s shield down then thrust (stab) the end of the khopesh into their face. There is nothing nice about a Khopesh, it leaves nasty wounds and looks vicious.
Swords can be used for either cutting or stabbing. The blades of Egyptian cutting swords were bent and wide designed for slicing, while the swords of the Sea Peoples were straight, with stabbing the preferred way of fighting.
In the late New Kingdom troop contingents were issued with either of these kinds of sword and deployed accordingly, if contemporary depictions can be trusted to be realistic. In the army of Ramses III for instance, Sherden and Philistine mercenaries armed with pointed piercing swords preceded native Egyptian soldiers with curved cutting swords. The Sea People shock troops breached the ranks of their Libyan opponents who were then cut to pieces by the Egyptians.
In the late New Kingdom troop contingents were issued with either of these kinds of sword and deployed accordingly, if contemporary depictions can be trusted to be realistic. In the army of Ramses III for instance, Sherden and Philistine mercenaries armed with pointed piercing swords preceded native Egyptian soldiers with curved cutting swords. The Sea People shock troops breached the ranks of their Libyan opponents who were then cut to pieces by the Egyptians.
Ramses III wielding a sickle shaped sword
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN axes
The cutting axe is a razor sharp edge secured to a sizable handle, the thought being to keep the extent that this would be possible from mischief's direction. As generally little power was pushed the fastening of the sharpened steel to the handle was not exceptionally basic. The head was by and large embedded into an opening or furrow in the wooden handle and tied quick.
The cutting axe is powerful against foes who don't wear body protection and protective caps, as was the custom in Africa, Egypt included. It vanished as protective layer got more predominant, which happened later in Egypt than in Asia, where as right on time as the third thousand years Sumerians are portrayed wearing caps. The piercing axe was designed to penetrate armour, above all helmets. In Asiatic cultures this brought about a change in the way the blade was connected to the handle
The cutting axe is powerful against foes who don't wear body protection and protective caps, as was the custom in Africa, Egypt included. It vanished as protective layer got more predominant, which happened later in Egypt than in Asia, where as right on time as the third thousand years Sumerians are portrayed wearing caps. The piercing axe was designed to penetrate armour, above all helmets. In Asiatic cultures this brought about a change in the way the blade was connected to the handle