Pollaxe
Description
The pollaxe was designed for knights fighting on foot. The stout thrusting tip could pierce through the gaps in an opponent’s armor, without being broken off between the sturdy steel plates. The stout axeblade delivered a powerful blow that could damage armor and cleave bone. The cleated hammerhead was designed to gain a purchase on the surface of armor, which was always designed with rounded shapes that made it harder to get a solid hit. Yet this deadly weapon is also decorated with the elongated and cusped tracery of Gothic art, echoing the look of medieval cathedrals.
Object Information
Date Created:
late 1400s
Local ID:
2014.81
Collection:
Arms and Armor
Latitude:
62.3
Longitude:
12.3
Place of Creation/Discovery:
Northern Europe
Credit Line:
The John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection
Count:
1
Dimensions:
183.4 × 64.9 × 18.5 cm (72 3/16 × 25 9/16 × 7 5/16 in.), 5 lb, 11 oz (weight)
Materials:
steel, brass, and ash wood
Cultural Attribution:
European
Period:
17th century
Classification:
Arms and Armor
Rights:
Public Domain Rights