it is in the higgins armory museum
Accession Number: 2000.02
Region: Netherlands or northern Germany
Artifact Type: War-hammer head
Date: 1450-1500
Materials: Brass; iron
Weight: 1 lb. 7 oz.
Length:
While swords were effective against unarmored or lightly protected troops, soldiers in full plate armor were well protected against swords. This war hammer, mounted on a wooden shaft, could deliver powerful blows with the hammer-head to crush armor, and a well-aimed strike with the stout beak on the back could penetrate plate steel. Comprised of a long, brass alloy conical socket cast in one piece with two stout, grimacing monster heads surmounted by a carved lion "couchant" above. The socket is fitted with a long, iron belt hook, and the base of the socket has a narrow, file roped molded band. The body has an engraved spiralled banderolle inscribed in "Gothic" characters, the legend reading from the base upwards, "Ave Maria Gracia Plena Helf Maria." The terminals of the ultimate characters are finished in oak leaves. The monster heads are fitted with a crenellated hammer head and a short quadrangular spike, both of iron. The recurving tail of the lion is circularly pierced for a cord. Centered on the front and rear faces below is a heraldic shield charged with a lion "rampant" in carved relief
|