Hey Diggers,
One of my best finds on my recent road trip was a medieval hippe (rhymes with pippa). At 16 inches long with 3-inch wide blade this is a serious weapon of war and was used to disable charging horses. It would have been mounted on a long pole and as the charging horses passed by it would have been used to hack at their legs and sever the tendons causing the horse and rider to fall. The curved spike on the end was meant to penetrate the helmet or armor of the rider. This one dates to the 1400's or 1500's (according to our guide). I know it was a really good find because our guide cussed me out when he saw I had found it! He called me a "Lucky (insert 10 cuss words here)." It also has a maker's mark so hopefully he will be able to identify who made it and when.
Reply With Quote