Cleveland Museum of Art

Halberd

Date

c. 1580

Medium

steel; leaf-shaped head; octagonal woof haft, woolen pompom

Culture

Germany, late 16th Century

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The halberd was a staff weapon favored by European infantries (foot soldiers) of the 1400s and 1500s for its versatility and deadly effect. The word halberd comes from the German words Halm (staff) and Barte (axe). The halberd is, in fact, an axe that served multiple functions: the axe blade was used for hacking, the spike for thrusting, and the beak for piercing plate armor or for pulling a knight from his saddle. The halberd was used by shock troops (those who lead an attack) and by Swiss and German mercenaries. After about 1550, the halberd gradually became less functional. Its large blade provided space for coats of arms and insignia. By the late 1500s, the parade halberd had become a ceremonial weapon for palace guards. The production of a halberd was surprisingly complicated. The blade must cut but the rest of the metal head had to flexibly absorb and distribute force without breaking.

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