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Sketch of Medieval shield and throwing darts. Source: YouTube Screenshot / Tod’s Workshop.

Strange Medieval Weapons: Throwing Darts (Video)

In this fascinating exploration of unconventional medieval weaponry , we delve into a unique find: a shield adorned with throwing darts. These weapons, as Tod from YouTube’s Tod's Workshop and Matt...
Representative image of a round wooden shield similar to the Viking shields found at Gokstad. Source: Aleksandrs/Adobe Stock

Ceremonial Viking Shields Re-identified as Actual Battle-Worn Armor

A reexamination of 1,100-year-old wooden Viking shields excavated in Norway in 1880 have been used to assert that these round protective devices could very well have been used in hand-to-hand combat...
Ceremonial Shield Showing the Storming of New Carthage.	Source: PhilaMuseum

Philadelphia Museum Returns Stolen Shield to Czech Republic

This striking Renaissance ceremonial shield was intended to feature in Adolf Hitlers Mega-Museum in Linz, Austria. Now, this highly-symbolic piece of ancient armor will be returned to the Czech...
Achilles’ Shield: What’s the Meaning of the Iliad’s Most Symbolic Object?

Achilles’ Shield: What’s the Meaning of the Iliad’s Most Symbolic Object?

The Iliad is one of the most famous epic poems created by the Greek poet Homer and the piece recounts the last weeks of the Trojan War. In book 18 of the series, Homer writes about Achilles’ shield...
 Illustration of a Viking shield wall (unknown artist)

Dissolving Myths: Vikings Did NOT Hide Behind Shield Walls

By ThorNews According to Rolf Warming, an archaeologist and researcher at the University of Copenhagen, the Vikings did not use shield walls in combat. A typical Viking shield was relatively small...
Viking Shield Technology Revealed in New Breakthrough Study

Viking Shield Technology Revealed in New Breakthrough Study

How exactly the Vikings and their Iron Age ancestors made their war shields has always been a mystery, but a new study explains this in detail and shines light onto a traditionally shadowy aspect of...
A Deadly Formula - Why Viking Weapons and Armor Were So Effective

A Deadly Formula - Why Viking Weapons and Armor Were So Effective

Nothing continues to be so inspiring and thrilling from early medieval history such as the Viking Age. This exciting historical period turned the nations of Europe upside down, and ushered in a new,...
The stunning conserved warrior shield found at the site in Pocklington.

Iron Age Warrior Shield Hailed as Most Important Find This Millennium

Conservation experts have been able to restore a stunning shield that is 2,200 years old. The artifact belonged to a Celtic warrior who was buried in a chariot burial in the north of England. The...
The bark shield is made from green bark that has been stiffened with internal wooden laths. Source: (University of Leicester / Fair Use)

First Bark Shield Uncovered in England is Changing Celtic History

Archaeologists in England have announced the findings from their study of an ancient shield that was made from tree bark. The shield was unearthed in 2015 and is around 2,300 years old. The experts...
Spartan warrior holding spear and shield.

How the Spartan Arsenal Helped Make Them Some of The Deadliest Warriors of the Ancient World

The ancient Greek city state of Sparta is renowned for its military prowess. As a militaristic society, Spartan males were trained to be warriors from a young age, and this was the only career they...
Roman weapons were vital to protecting and conquering the ancient world.

Roman Weapons: Sharp Blades to Conquer the Ancient World

The Romans were arguably one of the most successful conquerors of the ancient world. At the height of their power, the Roman Empire stretched from the British Isles in the north to Egypt in the south...
The climactic moment in Homer's Iliad when a dying Achilles' head bursts into flame

Magic Armor Can’t Save the Tragic Heroes: Duty & Doom for Karna, Ferdiad & Achilles

It is no longer a secret that there are historical connections between the myths from everywhere in the world, indicating that every culture had strong influences on each other and their legends. A...
10 Innovative Medieval Weapons: You Would Not Want To Be At The Sharp End Of These!

10 Innovative Medieval Weapons: You Would Not Want To Be At The Sharp End Of These!

Long before modern warfare, there was a time of knights in shining armor atop equally armored horses fighting for the hand of a maiden or in pitched battle. However, the weapons that these knights...
Exhibit featuring Mongolian arrows, and Mongolian soldier model

How Did They Do It? Masters of the Steppe: Armed to the Teeth with Weapons and Poison—Part II

Much is known about the ancient Mongol military and their incredible victories on the battlefield, but little is ever discussed about their arms, armor, horses, and logistics. What gear did they use...
Deriv; Left, Roman legionnaire reenactor in period gear. Right, Jabbaren rock painting (Via author)

The Giant of Algeria: Iconographic Evidence of Roman Expeditions in the Sahara

There are thousands of rock engravings at the dramatic rocky landscape of Jabbaren, Algeria. Jabbaren is an archaeological site in the Tassili N'ajjer National Park in Algeria with some of the most...
A French jeton minted between 1856 to 1680, which some say provides evidence for UFO sightings at that time.

Does this Enigmatic French Counter Provide Evidence for Historic UFO Sightings?

A curious circular object shown on a French counter that was minted between 1656 - 1680 has sparked the interest of some UFO enthusiasts, who claim that the image is undoubtable proof of UFO...
Feathered Shield in Peru Temple

1,300-Year-Old Feathered Shield Found in Peru Temple

Archaeologists have found an ancient feathered sh ield in a sealed portion of a temple at the site of Pañamarca in Peru, which was made by the Moche people. The Moche was a mysterious civilization...