[Leo Todeschini]

HI All,

Kiripichnikov, a Russian academic put together a great paper on mace types found in Russia and many of these were found along the trade routes as you would expect. These routes largely followed the rivers of course and many of these were used by the Rus Vikings on the way back and forth to Byzantium. This has meant that the Type IV mace which was contemporary with the Rus Vikings has come to be associated with Byzantium and perhaps used by the Varangian guard.

These early type IV maces had the 4 prominent pyramids along the equator of the mace and and the 8 'half pyramids' along the top and bottom that define the type IV. However they also have rows of decorative beading strung around the pyramids and were usually solid.

These early type IV maces ran from around 8th -11thC.

After this they seem to migrate toward Europe and at the same time they lose the beading. As solid maces, the spikes cannot protrude too much or the weight would become too high to wield, so they often start to become hollow. Being hollow allows the spikes to become larger and that ends up with a mace similar to this one.

Maces similar to this have been found all over Europe and 2 14thC examples have been found in the UK.

I am almost certain I saw a French Army issue mace of type IV pattern that was issued in the 19thC, so if this is the case, the same basic design ran for 1200 years.

The mounted mace shown here is 83mm across, cast in bronze and complete weighs 435g = less than 1lb.

Anyway I hope you like the result.

Tod

[Jack Smith]

nice!it is so amazing that a design can survive for 1200 years.

[Boris Bedrosov]

[Mark Griffin]

Yep, I have some british and french trench maces, almost identical and has been pointed out, work just as well.

[Danny Grigg]

Tod

Great looking mace, what's the overall length of the weapon including the haft?

So just to confirm the weight you quoted includes the haft and the mace head?


Can anyone tell me if Kiripichnikov's work on maces is readily available and in English?
I would love to pick up a copy.

There is very little published information on maces.

Thanks

Danny

[Boris Bedrosov]

[David Lewis Smith]

As one word responses are not allowed, I want to state

Nope

Nope, I do not want face either of these across the field or list.

As far as the mace it self, Tod, I think you did a fantastic job, I love the brutal simplicity of your mace I like the haft that is with out embellishment or decoration. The whole thing comes together

Nope, not wanting to get hit with that

Might want to add one to my collection though..

[Ben Sweet]

That was a style of mace I just never cared for till now, fantastic on the new made!

[Aaron Hoard]

I really like the looks of that.

I have one of his Early Medieval maces (Mace 2) and it's slowly becoming one of the favorite things in my collection.

[Danny Grigg]

[Boris Bedrosov]

I've never seen such Osprey book.
BTW, in some degree Eastern and South-Eastern Medieval Europe (including Rus) are somewhat neglected there - this is my own opinion, of course.

[David Lewis Smith]

With some gentile reminding I will try to scan some photos from a Russian book I have with examples from several museums. I will do my best to translate as well. Truth, my Russian is terrible and I forget many words.

Правда, я понимаю русский язык ужасно

[Leo Todeschini]

Thanks very much guys - really appreciate the comments.

I have only ever seen the Kiripichnikov article in Russian and all I can make out are dates, dimensions and find places, which is very frustrating, but better than nothing.

Dave any scans would be great.

Danny Grigg wrote

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Christian Borglum]

Hi Tod,

Very nice little basher! Those type IVs seem like the evolutionary pipinnacle of the compact knobbed mace. Your's reminds me of this one from the Legermseum in Delft. It sure seems like it'd be a shame to only cast one of these. Do you have any plans for perhaps adding the type IV to your line of maces available from The English Cutler??

[Leo Todeschini]

HI Christian,

This mace is available, but not yet on the page so if you would like one just let me know by email on tod@todsstuff.co.uk

The unmounted head is £65, the mounted head is £95

Regards


Tod