War Hammer (Nadziak)

[Oliver Pinchot]

Salaam alaikum ya sadiq al karim.
This one looks to be 18th century.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Oliver Pinchot

Salaam alaikum ya sadiq al karim.
This one looks to be 18th century.

Salaams Oliver Pinchot, Nice to see your posts and I note at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=polish+hammer there is a great note by Jim Macdougal on this little attended weapon ...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Oliver Pinchot

Salaam alaikum ya sadiq al karim.
This one looks to be 18th century.

Salaams Oliver Pinchot, Nice to see your posts and I note at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=polish+hammer there is a great note by Jim Macdougal on this little attended weapon ...at #10.
n addition I note from web ...Eastern Europe and the influences of Western
Asia and the Steppes. Turkish and Tartar
fashion and weaponry were very popular in the
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the late
16th and 17th centuries.
This is evident in Polish war hammers (nadziak)
and war axes (czekan). These are said to be derived namewise from Turkish whilst Obusk is a Polish word perhaps indicating provenance.
These long- handled weapons with small heads
were quite effective when swung from
horseback. I would suggest however that the advent of effective body armour was the precursor to such weapons being developed though the evidence must clearly be linked to other countries across Europe and for that we should compare Italian, German and other regions. It seems to me that the development may be from a mixed variety though Turkish and home grown Polish may well be at the front..if there is a front??

In the 17th century, Nadziak war hammers and
Czekans war axes also became fashionable
walking canes for the nobility. Like many long handled original weapon axe/hammers such as the Mussandam Axe these became both a utility weapon/herders weapon and walking out accoutrements as well as a defensive item.

Here below is a highly ornate example sold at auction.

Description
A POLISH WAR HAMMER, IN 17TH CENTURY STYLE but actually19th Century. This is a Nadziac

The head formed with central spike of stiff-diamond section cut with wavy edges, small hammer-head formed with a beveled rectangular face, faceted tapering rear fluke, a pair of transverse spikes matching the rear fluke, all the elements projecting from a short molded neck, and with faceted tubular socket: on its original lacquered wooden haft with iron shoe.
The head 11½in (29.3cm)

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

I see a variety of potential connections with German and Italian as well as indications of a Middle east root to the development of War Axes in Poland but I have to say that the likely driver for this type of weapon was probably the advent of armour... making it difficult to penetrate an armoured mounted Knight with simply a sword... The war axe
/hammer was ideal for this purpose.

Here is an North Italian version of late 16th C in the single picture and a group of 8 weapons from German, Italian and Venetian forms...from the same period. Met Museum.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

The following advice carries a warning... Gather together several bags of sandwiches and drinks hot and cold...and disappear into your favourite Ethnographics corner at home and paste this into search..

file:///C:/Users/LENOVO/Desktop/aaaaa/Dziewulski01.pdf

This is a fabulous review ...I will say no more...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.