Illustrated History of Weapons: From Ancient Times to the Beginning of the 19th Century

One of the first monumental works dedicated to the history of handheld weapons from ancient times to the 19th century and written in the Russian language. In the 130 years since its first publication, the book has not lost its... relevance and significance, becoming a repeatedly reissued classic. Based on numerous collections in Russian museums and foreign holdings, P. P. von Winkler traces the evolution of weapons from the tools of the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, the weapons of the Egyptians, Celts, Greeks, Romans, and Germans, to European armaments of the Middle Ages and Modern times. The main material is devoted to individual offensive and defensive arms, primarily cold weapons and armor (with a description of the characteristic distinctions of various types and functional features of components), including information on projectile weapons, including firearms. In addition to the description of samples, an important place is given to production technologies, as well as methods of finishing and decorating. Separate chapters are dedicated to the evolution of weapons in the East and in Russia (from the 10th to the 17th century). The book pays attention to the technique of armaments: it discusses armament marks, brands, and famous armories. An important historical significance is attributed to the chapter that provides an overview of the most important contemporary armament collections known to the author and formulates the rules and principles for storage, distribution, and restoration of weapons in collections. The edition is equipped with a large number of black-and-white drawings and color illustrations.