Ancient Weapons

New Research Perspectives on Weapons and Warfare Proceedings of the International Conference – Mainz, September 20th-21st 2019

Bardelli, Giacomo (ed.)
Graells i Fabregat, Raimon (ed.)

The papers collected in this volume are dedicated to different case studies, focusing on the archaeological and cultural contexts of ancient weapons, their practical and symbolic use, and the complexity of their technological features.
Ergonomic design, the finest selection of materials, and high-developed technological background: pre-, protohistoric and classical weapons have always been some of the most appreciated items by warfare specialists all over the world. Modern archaeology goes beyond the interest in the exterior appearance of ancient weapons and considers the single objects as starting points to explore new research avenues. Far from being objects for amateurs and collectors, ancient weapons become protagonists in historical and scientific reconstructions, with a huge potential as sources of knowledge.