What is a hand-gisarme, or glavelot? -- myArmoury.com

Wesley Nilsen

I can't remember ever hearing of hand-gisarmes in any place other than Howard Pyle's book Men of Iron. It's described as a weapon with sword-like blade one palm wide, eight palms long, and riveted to a shaft of wood three feet long. I've searched the Internet and found no pictures or even just a random mention of the weapon. What is it??

Michael R. Mann · Posted: Mon 16 Jul, 2012 12:40 pm Post subject:

Search for the term "Guisarme". http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guisarme
1 palm means 3 cm or 9,6 cm: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alte_Ma%C3%9Fe_u...erlande%29

Rem.: 1 inch means 2,54 cm.

Scott Hanson · Posted: Mon 16 Jul, 2012 12:58 pm Post subject:

Probably something similar to the weapons depicted in the thread "Medieval Falx?".

Ron Reimer · Posted: Tue 17 Jul, 2012 3:15 pm Post subject:

If the description was earlier I'd say try looking at a Dacian falx.But in the middle ages you could be looking at a fauchard or similar type of weapon.There are large chopping weapons of this type in the 'Mac" bible and in other illuminations from the middle ages, inc. Matthew Paris's(?) Goliath.
Ron

Michael R. Mann · Posted: Tue 17 Jul, 2012 4:21 pm Post subject:

In this case also the search for "Glaive" could be usefull, although this term is not direct mentioned.

Lafayette C Curtis · Posted: Thu 26 Jul, 2012 12:22 am Post subject:

Couldn't it simply be a fictional weapon?