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Military Sciences - 1851 Heck Military Sciences Antique Print
An
Original Historical Print from HistoryOnPaper
This
is an exceptionally detailed original 1851-52 (161 year old) steel engraved
print showing scenes of:
Military Sciences
PLATE 1: Weapons of Egyptians, Medes & Persians: Fig. 1-22 depict the Weapons of the Egyptians, 23-56.
the Weapons of the Medes and Persians. Where available, I have provided figure descriptions below: but they are available at BiodiversityLibrary.org
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NOTE: You are purchasing the steel-engraved print only.
The engraving shows a great variety of Egyptian weapons,
as they are found partly upon old monuments and partly in catacombs and
the pyramids. Fig. 1 shows a two-edged straight sword; fig.
2, a curved sabre sharpened only on the outer edge ; fig. 3 is a dagger;
and fig. 4 a short mace, which in hand to hand combat was a very dangerous
weapon. Fig. 5 is a shield of rectangular shape; but these are found
also with a round piece taken out on the right side, and small ones entirely
round for light troops. In order to protect the throat and upper
part of the breast those who fought in chariots and the light troops wore
a breast-plate (fig. 6) either of strong leather or metal; and the former,
as well as at times the heavy armed and the bowmen, wore a shirt of woven
mail (fig. 22). Upon the head were worn helmets of the most various
forms, and figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, show several patterns of these,
some of which were of leather and some of metal. Fig. 9 is an archer's
helmet of the oldest form ; fig. 12 a king's of the time of Herodotus;
figs. 10 and 11, chiefs' helmets of heavy armed infantry. Fig.
14 is a javelin with a hook, and fig. 13 shows the case in which such javelins
were carried.
Fig. 15 is a quiver with a cover for such arrows as are represented
in fig. 16; such a quiver was fastened by a chain or strong thong passing
over the shoulder, and lay obliquely across the back, the opening on the
right side. Fig. 17 is a spear. Figs.
18 and 19 battle-axes, such as were carried by
the heavy armed in addition to the spear. The bows were very large
and strung with sinew. The emblem of the warrior caste was the vulture,
and in all representations of battles this bird is always seen near the
king. The troops marched and maneuvered in regular order and movement by
legions or companies to the sound of the trumpet or the drum and fife.
Instead of standards they carried insignia such as are shown m figs. 20
and 21. The king was commander-in-chief, his sons or his bravest
men his generals. The king shared personally in all the fatigues
of war, and stood in his chariot : armed from head to foot he hurled his
darts upon the foe or smote him with the battle-axe. A tamed lion,
accoutred for the battle-field, was always beside the king's chariot.
The troops were diligently trained in time of peace by various gymnastic
exercises, in performing which they went almost naked, and had only a broad
leather belt about the body.
A number of the weapons used by Asiatic nations
who belonged mostly to the Persian armies are brought together in the engraving.
Thus fig. 23 shows the bow and quiver of the Medes and Persians,
whose shield of strong leather with a rim and boss of iron is represented
in fig. 24. The bow was carried usually in the case belonging to
it, shown in fig. 25, where a spear also is represented. Figs.
26 and 27 show Median and Persian helmets and storming-caps. The
Parthians had bows as in fig. 28, and spears whose momentum was increased
by a ball at the butt, as in fig. 29. One of the showy helmets of
the Syrians, made of leather with metal ornaments, is represented in fig.
30; while fig. 31 shows a peculiarly formed and often painted helmet of
leather bound with iron, worn by the Armenians.
The Scythian heavy
armed infantry were clad in a leathern cuirass, strengthened by thin scales
of iron, as shown at fig. 32, wore a leathern helmet bound with strong
iron bands (fig. 33), and carried an oval, often richly ornamented shield
of leather, covered entirely with metal plate (fig. 34). The bow
(fig. 36) was with them only secondary, and was, therefore, small and light;
but they carried clubs with long spikes, for
blow or thrust, and maces set with iron spikes, as shown fig. 35,
where both are given. The short sword) or more properly long dagger
(figs. 37, 38), they had in common with the Dacians, of whose leathern
helmets, gaily painted and the head-piece studded with metal scales, an
example is given in fig. 45; while fig. 44 shows one of the Dacian field
badges, such as were carried by the larger divisions of the army, and which
were distinguished from each other by the most various forms. The
Mysians had circular shields plated with metal, as in fig. 39, and javelins
(figs. 42, 43), whose shaft was often carved in rings or spirals, with
a counter-weight for greater momentum, and on this weight a short spike
for close combat. Quite similar were the Thracian javelins, of which
figs. 40 and 41 give examples, save that the counter-weight was often nearer
the middle. The Thracian helmet was of buffalo-hide, bound with iron.
The skin of the head was often chosen for this purpose, with the horns
kept on; often that form was merely imitated, and false horns added (fig.
55).
Very Nice:
Slight
wear, foxing & aging - Quite nice
Engraved
by Winkles - Drawn by Johann Georg Heck
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