The article describes what a club is, when and by whom it was used, and what types of weapons exist.
Ancient times
One of the main differences between humans and other animals is their developed intelligence. This factor, along with other important ones, played a huge role in our evolution as a species. Of course, there are other circumstances that contributed to this, for example, developed social relations, mutual assistance, concern for loved ones, children, etc. But all this could not have happened if our ancestors hadn’t had a developed mind, which ultimately “humanized” them. It was with his help that the ancient people mastered the first tools of labor and war. And for a long time it was the club that remained the main weapon of defense or attack. The reason for this was the ease of manufacture and use of this thing. So what is a club, what types of weapons are there and how is it used today? In this we will figure it out.
Definition
First, let's define the terminology. According to the encyclopedia, the club is a melee weapon, the principle of which is the impact-crushing action. They were made of wood, so that with a club you can call any strong club whose purpose is to defend or attack enemies. So now we know what a club is.
For a long time, it remained the main type of weapon, along with spears and other things. And even mastering the processing of stones, and later metal as blades, did not lead to the withdrawal of the club from use. The reasons for this popularity lay in the simplicity of manufacture - you just need to find a strong wooden blank and give it the desired shape, in effective use - having more weight, they inflicted terrible wounds, as well as cheapness. After all, the same stone or metal must first be found and processed before being used in weapons, while the club was made from almost any tree. So we figured out what a club is.
Kinds
Even much later, for example, in the Middle Ages, when iron processing became more or less accessible and widespread, the club still remained a very popular type of weapon. As already mentioned, the point is the efficiency, low cost and ease of manufacture. But gradually its design was modified for a greater overall strength and more effective defeat of enemies. For example, a studded metal ball was put on a wooden top, or the spikes were located along the entire length of the club. She was also often shrouded in a thin layer of metal, the handle was modified for a more comfortable grip, and loops were attached to hold it and so on. So we examined what a club is, the definition of this word and variety are also considered.
Application
The use of such weapons is quite common in ancient chronicles, indicating its popularity even when iron swords and sabers were in use. The clubs were very popular with the abbots and bishops who participated in the Crusades. They were also used by various princes of Ancient Russia, for example, Dmitry Donskoy, and epic heroes with other heroes of legends and chronicles. So now we know what a club is. The photo of this weapon shows powerful clubs of various sizes, from the smallest for self-defense, ending with huge and shackled spikes.
Law
According to the current legislation of Russia, a club falls under the definition of cold steel, but only if certain parameters are available.
Modern application
Despite the fact that the weapon is very ancient, its last use was recorded not so long ago by historical standards. During the First World War, soldiers of the warring countries often armed themselves with "trench clubs", which were essentially clubs. In those years, there was no automatic compact weapon, and fighting in narrow trenches and trenches with long rifles was often very inconvenient. Because many soldiers used strong clubs.
Epics
In the legends of the heroes, mention is often made of a damask club. So what is a damask club? This is an ordinary club, but made entirely of damask metal. True, there have been no cases of real use of such weapons, as well as its archaeological finds.