Throwing weapons - a type of weapon that can hit the enemy without direct contact with the attacker, that is, at a distance. It is predominantly cold, with the exception of pomegranates. The action of such weapons is based on the use of gravity, muscle strength, elastic properties of the material or the energy of stretched or twisted fibers.
Classification
Cold throwing weapons, depending on its functionality, are usually divided into three groups.
1. Conditionally throwing. This is a common weapon that is not directly intended for throwing, but is adapted for hand-to-hand combat. So, if necessary, it can be used as a propellant. For example, a battle ax, spear or knife.
2. Classic throwing. These are simple devices that allow, using the principle of lengthening the lever, to increase the power of the jerk and, as a result, the flight range. For example, a sling, a bow, a crossbow, etc.
3. Throwing weapons. This includes samples that were developed exclusively for this purpose. As an exception, such weapons can be used in hand-to-hand combat. For example, throwing knives (photo is given in the article) and daggers, darts, plates, etc. The third group is represented by a great variety, and we will devote this article to it.
Mercury knife
Mercury throwing knives (photo below) are exalted by folk wave myths to perfection. Everyone knows that they always fly with the blade forward. The principle of operation of such a weapon is that it is hollow inside the entire length. One third of the cavity is filled with mercury, air is evacuated. Throw such a knife, holding the handle. At the time of the swing, the mercury accelerates under the influence of centrifugal force, at the time of the release of the weapon it reaches the end of the cavity in the region of the tip. As a result, the blade receives an additional impulse, which stabilizes the flight. Throw such a knife at a distance of 4-5 meters, after which it begins to fall over. The weapons were not widely used due to the large size and high cost.
East is a delicate matter
In antiquity, throwing knives were also used, however, for stabilization, tufts of feathers or rag ribbons were used. The maximum distance for using such weapons is 8-10 meters. This method was very popular in the East. It was applied to small arrow-blades, which were clamped between the index and thumb and threw without turning, with the tip pointed forward. They could be killed only if the weapon was poison. The shooters used these blades mainly to distract the enemy, they were effective only at short distances. A more serious type of weapon is the Chinese throwing darts and forks - these are wooden handles that end with massive tips. Such a weapon is not stabilized in any way, the accuracy of the hit depends only on the skill of its owner.
The next view that we will look at will be the throwing weapon of the ninja - the plate.
Syaken
Japanese throwing plates are diverse in size and outwardly similar to stars with diverging blades-rays. Their form is dictated by both functionality and mystical symbolism. Shakens are thrown from a distance of 6-10 meters in the following ways: horizontally from the chest and vertically from the head. Stars depending on the destination are different in weight and size. So, light plates of small diameter are thrown from a distance of 2-4 meters exclusively in the face of the enemy in order to distract attention or cause reflex fright. The largest stars can be thrown at a distance of 15-20 meters, but the goal should be decent, otherwise the chances of getting there will be small. Usually a hole is made in the middle of the shaken to prevent the product from warping during the hardening process.
Chakra
This is an ancient throwing weapon of the Indian Sikhs. It is a steel ring that is sharpened to the sharpness of the razor along the outer edge. The diameter of such a plate is 12-30 centimeters. The smallest throwing chakra stars are thrown horizontally, pinching between the index finger and thumb, after giving them a rotational movement around the axis. Medium-sized chakras before the roll are unwound on the index finger above the head, and large - on the index and middle.
African throwing knives
This is a very unusual weapon - to clearly determine what it looks like is not easy. Such a projectile is a wide bronze plate, deeply cut into five ends, four of them are honed and sickle-shaped, a short handle is attached to the fifth. In West Africa, such weapons are called "Hunga-Munga," and in central - "Gangata." Specialists could not attribute it to any group and decided to call the term "throwing iron." The dimensions of such a knife are 30x40 centimeters. It is convenient for throwing, and can also be used as an ax in hand-to-hand combat.
These weapons formed the basis for the design of the Agat throwing knife, which equips army special forces. Its blade consists of three parts, two of which are located at the edges, when you press the button, they open at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the central one. The top of the handle is also pointed.
Throwing Ax
This weapon was widely used in all parts of the world, however, the Tomahawks used by the North American Indians were most famous. Today, throwing such weapons in the United States has become almost a national sport. So, some craftsmen can cut matchboxes from a distance of 8 meters. A special skill is throwing four axes at the same time - two in each hand. In this case, one pair of tomahawks is stuck in the target with the arms down, and the second up.
Throwing Ax in Russia
In the far north of our country, the art of throwing axes is also highly valued. Moreover, it even entered the official program of national sports along with jumping through sleds transversely installed one after another and throwing a lasso on the horns of an animal. True, in Russia there is no combat section of throwing axes, they compete exclusively in range throws. This is explained by the fact that often a situation arises when hunters find themselves on different banks of the river, and in order not to freeze, they are forced to throw this “saving” ax to each other. The numbers are impressive: 120 meters are no longer a record.
Tomahawks again
But back to the tomahawks. This throwing ax has a standard blade shape: either ax-shaped (economic), or military "French" (it is also called "espantonic"). The modern tomahawk is usually called Vietnamese, as it was developed in 1966 for special units of the American army that participated in the Vietnam War. This weapon acquired an additional minting blade, it is able to break through an iron barrel, in addition, it gives additional positive throwing qualities. At close range, the weapon is thrown forward with a butt, as a result the tomahawk is stuck with the hilt up. From medium distances, the ax throws the blade forward (it makes a full revolution), and is stuck with the handle down. Over long distances, the ax manages to make one and a half turns, it rushes forward again with the butt, sticking the handle up. Each of the distances is selected individually by trial and error.
The throwing of a small sapper blade, which is practiced in different countries of the world, follows the same principle. Funny is the fact that it is advertised in Western catalogs as a cold weapon of Russian special forces.
Australian boomerang through the eyes of Jules Verne
This is a world-wide throwing weapon. What stories have not been written about the boomerang! In Jules Verne’s novel, this projectile flew into a flock of birds, destroying a dozen of them, and then returned to its master. Even many connoisseurs of weapons “bought” such bikes. However, few people think that having hit the victim, the boomerang will change its initial trajectory, and its further flight is simply impossible to predict.
Real boomerang
It turns out that there are two types of boomerangs - hunting and fighting. All real projectile projectiles of Australia belong to the so-called non-returning form. In fact, this is a flat throwing club, which during rotation creates an aerodynamic force that can support them in the air and allows you to fly much further. Such throwing weapons have a direct flight path. Hunting boomerangs, as a rule, are equal arms, quite weighty and slightly curved, this helps to strengthen the stopping effect. The combat look of this throwing weapon is often equipped with a hilt or hook. The weight of such a boomerang sword is 0.7-1.2 kilograms. The most effective distance for its use is 10-12 meters, the limit is 40 meters, although it can fly 180-250 meters. The boomerang hook, falling into the enemy’s shield, clings to it with a hook and strikes the shield.
The returning type can serve as a toy or entertainment - an integral attribute for outdoor activities. They were never used in hunting or in battle. The weight of such a missile is 200-300 grams. One blade is slightly longer, due to this, during the flight, a “tipping effect” is created, which constantly heaps the boomerang on one side. As a result, he flies in a circular path, and sometimes can describe a figure of eight in which the owner of the toy is at the intersection of circles.
Throwing weapons of Europe
For some reason, talking about ancient types of throwing weapons, they avoid mentioning Europe. Wasn’t anything interesting invented there? However, curious and noteworthy patterns exist there. For example, the Roman Surega. This weapon resembles a trident, it has a light handle, the length of which is 40 centimeters. A dumpling rushed about with two hands from behind his head. In Turkey, berakadi was used - a short dagger. It was very actively used during the Turkish war of conquest in Europe. It has the appearance of a blade (15-16 centimeters long), at the end of which is the load. Another throwing weapon in Europe is the Czech telanda during the Hussite War. She looked like a wedge to which a rope was tied to the back. The length of the blade was 50 centimeters, the width was 10 centimeters, and the thickness was 4 centimeters. Such a projectile was unwound overhead, holding the rope. Telanda, launched from a distance of 50 meters, pierced through forged armor and hit the enemy. The flight range was 100-200 meters.
Finally
This article lists only a small part of the cold throwing weapons of our planet and makes a small excursion into the history of ancient civilizations. However, one should not think that this topic has been exhausted. After all, talk about throwing weapons can be very long. It should be understood that many patterns arose on the pages of history, and then descended from them. This is due to the fact that often such weapons are created to counter a specific enemy. A vivid example is the Czech telanda, created to deal with knights chained in armor. When the last were gone, this weapon came to naught. Therefore, today it is often possible only to find references in ancient texts about this or that type of throwing guns.