Weapons and armor in literature

Name

The name of the weapon by a “personal” name is the technique of “animating” these tools of the military craft. At the direction of philologists, the names given to weapons in the text “structure” the situation in which they are used ^[2] . Names allow a person to imagine the power that is embodied in a “baptized” weapon, and also make it more familiar and close to the reader ^[3] .

Almost all worthy heroes of the Middle Ages had personal swords ^[4] . If the weapon of a human hero has a personal name, this emphasizes the personal power of that person, since “ordinary” people cannot own such weapons ^[5] , and “the glory of the hero is associated with his weapon”, in addition, special heroes are associated with non-standard weapons ^{[ 6]} .

The proper name of the weapon emphasizes its importance for the plot - “the name makes it alive in the plot. They rise above the level of a simple object and become actors ” ^[7] . In addition, the name allows him to be perceived as if it were a living being with character ^[5] , “often the sword was not just an instrument in fair hands, but itself a measure and defender of justice,” sometimes the weapon seemed able to independently track the honesty of its owner and punish him in case of violation of this word ^[8] . If a weapon has a name, then most likely it has unusual supernatural (magical or divine) additional qualities; in addition, it was either bestowed upon the hero by a magical patron (“magic gift” ^[1] ), or obtained by him with great difficulty ^{[9] [10]} . This is due to the belief in the magical properties of material objects, which was a characteristic feature of medieval religiosity, when things served as a kind of accumulator of magical power ^[8] .

Assigning a name to a weapon was a convenient literary device if it was required to trace its fate over a long period, that is, if it was inherited, disappeared for several generations ^[6] or was broken and reforged. This was especially important, since weapons inherited “from the ancestors” guaranteed the hero’s luck, accumulating the successes of the ancestors, which in the epic could be considered as martial magic ^[11] . On the other hand, in addition to good luck, the new owner of a nominal sword could receive from the previous one his curse ^[12] ( Tolkien , a professor of literature and an expert on the epic, uses and exposes these tricks in his epic ).

Sometimes the name of the weapon is mysterious, and sometimes - “talking” about its character or abilities ^[6] : Celtic spear Krimall (“bloody spots”), Japanese spear Tombogiri (“Dragonfly sweeper”), bow of Tristan Feilnot (“Without a miss” "). A study of the personal names of weapons allows us to trace the evolution of the texts in which they occur when it comes to the epos (cf. mutation of the name of the sword Excalibur → Calibur) ^[13] .

Researchers of Anglo-Saxon literature indicate that despite the huge number of preserved names of swords (about 200), it is not known whether there was a practice of giving a weapon a name in reality, or is it just a poetic device. However, archaeological finds (runic monuments) indicate that the tradition mentioned in the monuments to write the name of the sword on the blade is indeed confirmed ^[14] .

Contact Owner

The weapon that appears in the work is an important symbolic object, sometimes revealing the essence of it or, more often, of its owner, the hero of the work.

“Within the framework of the general symbolism of the hero’s struggle, his weapon, in a sense, is a duplicate, an analogue of the monster with which he must fight. Just as there are different types of monsters, so are different types of weapons. Thus, the weapon used in the mythical battle gives a deep and specific meaning: it characterizes both the hero and the enemy whom he is trying to destroy. So, in a purely psychological interpretation of the symbol, when the enemy is only forces that threaten the hero from the inside, the weapon becomes a true personification of the state of conflict (the wings of Icarus , the sword of Perseus , the club of Hercules , the staff of Oedipus , the tridents of Neptune , Hades and Satan ) ” ^[15] . Jung summarizes this by saying “weapons are a will aimed at a specific result” ^{[15] [16]} .

The interpretation of Paul Diel on the symbolism of weapons also emphasizes its moral, moral significance. He notes that the “weapon received from the deity” (a frequent technique in myths, legends and folklore), the hero must fight with his irrational desires, against attractive monsters - thus serving the higher ideals of his spirit. The weapon symbolizes the power and functions of sublimation and spiritualization, in contrast with monsters who do not change their base forces ^[17] . For this reason, myths and legends emphasize the almost autonomous power of weapons, attributes, and objects belonging to heroes, saints, and demigods ^[15] .

“Since weapons mainly characterize a hero or a knight, a sword is very often closely associated with its owner, as if becoming part of it, and sometimes has its own name or personality. (...) The sword, therefore, becomes a symbol or representative, as if speaking from its owner, and if the knight has the task of reconciling with the outside world and overcoming it, the sword can be compared with some functions of the person faced with this task ” ^[18] .

The appropriation of weapons symbolizes the acquisition of the strength of the vanquished. Playing with weapons symbolizes the victory of love over war. The weapon of destruction in the hands of the gods also symbolizes liberation, for they strike the ignorance and the lower "I" of man in order to awaken consciousness and sensations.

Attributes

There is also a weapon that, being nameless, has its own “character”, is a recognizable attribute of a character, has unusual abilities, and is repeatedly mentioned in literary works (for example, Poseidon’s trident , which generated blows to the firmament of horses, or the Scythe of Death , blowing away human lives). The weapons of the gods have a personal name less often than the weapons of heroes.

Different characters are given different types of weapons. So, a scepter, a mace, a rod and a whip are the attributes of a ruler; spear, dagger and sword - the weapon of a knight; knife and stylet - secret and "base" weapons; lightning and the net are weapons of the uranic gods . A comparison of weapon types with Jung archetypes will give the following correlations: Shadow - knife, dagger; Anima - the spear; Mana - mace or club, net, whip; The self is the sword ^[15] .

In addition, it is noted that the sword - a newer invention - is more often the property of man, but more primitive types of weapons - spear, hammer, club, ax - are common among the gods ^[19] , especially among thunders ^[6] . Such language phrases (" lightning of Zeus ", "Poseidon's trident") become stable paths, and such weapons also act as an invariable subject, moving from one work to another often for several centuries ^{[15] [20]} .

Elemental Relationship

The general meaning, the symbolism of some weapons from legends and myths is enriched by associations with the elements to which they relate. So, the bolos of the Indians are connected with the air, the spear with the earth, the sword with fire, the trident with the sea depths. Thus, based on the Jungian archetypes of Schneider ^{[ clarify ]} claims that the fight of the sword with the spear is the battle of the earth against the sky ^[15] .

Symbolic Interpretation

The interpretation of various species as allegories in Christian literature was set by an apostolic example. So, the apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians (6: 10-17) gives advice on how Christians should meet the enemy:

According to St. Ephraim, an allegorical interpretation of the symbolism of Paul’s statement is as follows: a helmet - hope; girding loins - mercy; shoes - humility; shield - cross; bow - prayer; the sword is the word of God ^[15] .

Swords

According to the encyclopedia Myths of the World’s Nations , the use of the image of the sword in mythology is a way of contrasting “life-death” ( the sword of Damocles , the Flaming sword of the guardian angel of Eden). The sword is used to cut off everything “unworthy and barren”, it symbolizes the beginning of the highest justice. In modern times, thanks to his form, he visually draws closer to the Christian crucifix, so the sword acquires additional symbolism of unity, fraternity, becoming a symbol of chivalry, the subject they swore ^[10] . Almost all worthy warrior heroes of the Middle Ages have their own personalized swords ^[4] , which become their faithful companions and friends, so the list of personal names of swords is very long. A complete list of the names of famous and legendary swords, containing about 150 items, is presented in a separate article .

The sword, being forged in fire, was also associated with chthonic forces - it is identified with lightning, an attribute of the thunder god (the Japanese holy sword, the sparkling sword of Yahweh , the lightning sword of Indra , the flaming sword of Vishnu ). A huge sword, sometimes from heavenly fire, is the weapon of solar gods and cultural heroes , therefore it is used to fight against "dark" monsters, to protect a virgin ^[10] .

This dependence on the elements makes the sword an instrument of communication with all worlds. For example, heroes can extract it from within the stone, from under the stone, that is, from the “underground” world ( Peleus , Theseus , King Arthur ), or from a tree trunk (Sigmund), from under the water. Thus, the sword can serve as a "bridge to another world" ^[10] .

Folklore highlights the various functions of magic swords - self-made swords, swords that make their owner invulnerable, invisible; talking swords, capable of bewitching and bewitching, lulling, carrying through the air ^[10] .

Name Swords

• Balmung is Siegfried's sword (based on the Song of the Nibelungs ). In “ Edda ” it is called Gram, in the Wagnerian cycle it is called Nothung.
• Sword of Damocles
• Durandal is Roland's sword.
• Zu-l-fikar - the sword of the prophet Muhammad .
• Caladbolg is Fergus' sword.
• Sword-Kladenets - the sword of Svyatogor and Ilya Muromets (in Russian folklore).
• Lightning sword - the sword of David Sasunsky (in Armenian folklore).
• Shcherbets is the coronation sword of the Polish kings.
• Hruting (Negling) - the sword of Beowulf (or his assistant Unfert).
• Excalibur is the sword of King Arthur .
• Glamdring - Gandalf's sword forged in Gondolin .
• The sting is an elven long dagger owned by Bilbo and then presented to Frodo .
• Narsil is Elendil's sword. Reforged for Aragorn , the new name is Anduril .
• The orchestra is a sword that belonged to Thorin Oakenshield and buried with it, like Glamdring, forged in Gondolin.
• Anglahel is the sword of Turin Turambara . He also bore the name Gurtang .
• Anguirel - the sword of Eol of the Dark Elf, is forged like Anglahel by Eol from the black metal.
• Ringil - “Icy Star”, Fingolfin’s sword.
• Herugrim is the sword of King Rohan Theoden .
• Aranrut is the sword of King Doriath Thingol .
• Gutwin is the sword of Eomer , the nephew of Theoden.

Polearms

Spears

A spear, as an “earlier” weapon than a sword, is an attribute of not only a warrior, but also a hunter, both a hero and a deity. The spear is also a symbol of war and a phallic symbol ^{[15] [21]} . “This is a weapon of a mundane character, in contrast to the heavenly, divine hidden meanings of the sword” ^[15] . From a symbolic point of view, the spear can be compared with a branch, a tree, a cross, as well as with the designation of spatial orientation. A curious motive is that heroes can be cured of a wound inflicted by a spear only by touching the same spear ^[22] . The spear took a special place in Christianity due to the presence of such an object as the Spear of Longinus , as well as being an attribute of some saints. Raimund Lullius in Notes of the Noble Order expresses the belief that the spear was given to the knight as a symbol of high morality. The “Bloodied Spear”, which is mentioned in the Grail legend, is sometimes interpreted as a spear of longings and desires, that is, in the sense of Passion as such. Some authors do not agree with this interpretation; for them, the interpretation of the spear as a sacrificial symbol is acceptable ^[15] . The spear is most often found in Celtic mythology, where it has been a sacred object since pagan times ^[23] , and later penetrated the legend of the Grail, becoming associated with the idea of ​​the goblet, the cup ^[18] .

Spears in a museum exposition

• The Spear of Longinus , the Spear of Fate is a sacred relic of Christians, which the Roman soldier Longinus thrust into the hypochondrium of Christ . The storage location is contested by several temples.
• Rogatin Boris Tversky (Damask tip of the horned prince of Tver Boris Alexandrovich ) - was one of the most important symbols of power in the regalia complex of the Tver principality and one of the main trophies of the campaign of Prince Ivan of Moscow III in Tver (mid-15th century, Armory ) ^[24] .

In ancient Greek mythology

• The spear of Athena , from his blow to the ground during a dispute with Poseidon for domination of the future city of Athens , the first olive grew.
• Peleus' spear made of Pelion ash , hard as iron, donated by the centaur Chiron to the hero’s wedding with Thetis , then belonged to their son Achilles .
• A wonderful spear of Procrida , who did not know a miss.

In ancient Egyptian mythology

• Spear of Horus blessed by the goddess Nate . “Its hooks are the rays of the sun, its tip is the claws of Mafdet ” (goddess of punishment) ^[25] .

In Slavic mythology

• The spear of Julius Caesar , according to German Catholic missionaries, is a very old iron spear tip, stored in one of the temples in the famous city of the Pomeranian Slavs Yulina (Wolin, Jomna or Hume), which was revered as the tip of the spear of Julius Caesar himself .

In Germanic-Scandinavian mythology

• Gungnir is the spear of Odin in German-Scandinavian mythology .

In Celtic mythology

• Areadbar (Areadbhar, Aréadḃar, Aréadḃair) - the poisoned spear of Pisear, king of Persia, captured by the god Lug ^[26] .
• Gae Assail, Assal, Spear of Meadow (Gáe Assail, Spear Lúin, Spear of Lugh) - one of the four treasures of the tribes of the goddess Danu from the city of Gorias. Used by the god Meadow in the second battle of Mag Tuired ^[27] . Returned after a throw ^[28] .
• Gae Bulg , Gáe Bulg (Gáe Bulg) - spear Kuhulin received by him from Queen Skata. Made of sea animal bones. Kuhulin's second spear is Del chliss .
• Gáe Dearg - The “Red Spear” of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne , which he received from his adoptive father, Angus Og, and used it when it came to life and death. In lighter adventures, he used the Gáe Buide , the Yellow Spear.
• Carr Belaig Durgin is a spear of Maelodran that could kill of his own free will, or because of his control, he killed a demon who killed everyone who tried to pass without offering an offering (“Aided Máelodrán meic Dímma Chróin”) .
• Krimall (Crimall, "in bloody spots") - a spear of Cormac Mac Airt (Cormac mac Airt).
• Croderg is the venomous spear that Druimdherg mac Dolair killed Caisel Clumach, King of Norway and owner of the fire shield at the Battle of Ventry (Cath Finntrága).
• The spear of Ogma is the spear of the Celtic god of the sun, which he used in holding the star.
• Fiahi's Spear is a magical spear originally owned by Fiacha, who did not know how to use it and then handed it over to Finn McKumhail , who used it against Aillén.
• The Lunar Spear ( French: Le Pic de Lune ) is a mysterious spear donated by the Pictish tribe to the deity of the moon ^[29] .
• Fothad's five-pronged spear - a poisoned spear, was one of the things that the spirit of the dead Fothad Canainne told his lover to collect.

In chivalric novels

• The punishing spear ( Fr. Lance vengeresse ) - with which the knight Balin Savage defeated King Pesce ^[30] ( Arturovsky cycle ).
• Malta ( Fr. Maltet ) - spear of Emir Baligan in " Songs of Roland ".
• Rongovennan , Ronzhome, Ron (Rhongowennan, Rongomiant, Ron) - the spear of King Arthur ^{[27] [31]} . It was forged in Caer Myrddin by a blacksmith named Griffin.

Asian spears

• Al-Monsari and al-Monsawi are the two spears of the Prophet Muhammad .
• Ame-no-nuhoko ( Jap. 天 沼 矛 , "heavenly precious spear") is the naginata of the creator gods of the Japanese pantheon Izanagi and Izanami , with whom they took the earth out of the sea.
• Brahmadanda ("the dart of Brahma ") is the dart of the god Brahma. It can hit countries and peoples for generations.
• Vel ( Tamil. வேல்) - the divine spear of the Dravidian god of war Murugan ( Skanda ).
• Nihongo ( 日本語 ) - belonged to the daimyo Fukushima Masanori, who defeated him Mori Tahe, XVII century, the song " Kurodabushi " ^[32] . Before that, she was in the Imperial Palace. Currently at the Fukuoka City Museum.
• The Serpent Spear (Ч) of Zhang Fei ( en: Zhang Fei ), a 3rd-century Chinese general n e.
• Tombogiri ( 蜻蛉 切 , Dragonfly Sweeper) is a spear made by the gunsmith of Muramasa Iaito or Masazane ^[33] , the Muromachi period . It belonged to the daimyo Honda Tadakatsu. The name came from a dragonfly, crouched to rest on its tip and immediately turned out to be cut in half. One of the three legendary Japanese copies. The other two are Otegine ( 御 手 杵 ) and Nihongo (see above).

Mesoamerican Spears

• Shiuakoatl ( Xiuhcoatl ) - a spear thrower of god Witsilopochtli .

Fictional spears in modern fiction

• Spear in the Dragonlance universe ("Dragon Spear").
• Spear by Robert Salvatore , Dragon Slayer.
• Spear of the Sea Kings by A. Bushkov , “The Unexpected King” (as it turned out, this “spear” was the atomic submarine “Ragnarok” from the connection “Sea Kings” or, more likely, special torpedoes on this submarine)
• The spear of Aiglos is the weapon of Gil-Galad , the last supreme king of the Noldor of Middle-earth . He used it in the War of the Last Alliance, in particular in the duel between Gil-Galad and Elendil with Sauron . His further fate and owners (if any) are unknown.

Tridents

The trident was found as an attribute only among deities, moreover, associated with the elements. "In many cases, the symbolism of the trident is associated with the magic of the number three and with the solar symbols : the cross, the swastika." Also belongs to the group of phallic symbols ^[34] .

• Poseidon's Trident. It caused earthquakes and spawned horses with its blow to the firmament. Made by cyclops . A symbol of sea elements, thunder and a storm.
• The Trident of Satan . According to another option, the lord of hell does not own a cold weapon, but an agricultural tool - a pitchfork (because "Death is mowing, and the devil is harvesting").
• Congo (Kongō 金剛) - a trident weapon that emitted rays of light in the dark. Gave the owner wisdom and insight. Originally belonged to the Japanese mountain god Koya-no-Myoin (Koya-no-Myoin). Equivalent to vajra .

In Hinduism

• Vajra - ( Skt. वज्र , "lightning") - the weapon of the god Indra - scepter - trident . Forged by Twashtar . Option - it was given by Indra Kavya Ushanas . Vajra is described as gold or iron, about four or one hundred corners or in the form of a disk, later - as a cruciform. The Mahabharata tells us that the vajra was made from the bones of the holy hermit Dadhichi, who voluntarily sacrificed his skeleton for this purpose. (See also Dorje ).
• Trishula ( Sanskrit त्रिशूल) - the trident spear of the goddess Durga .
• Shula - the trident of the god Shiva , his points symbolized the three functions of God - creation, existence, destruction.
• Rudra's trident, forged by Twashtar .
• Trident Agni .

Other Polearms

• Ruyi Jingu Bang - the staff of Sun Wukong (Monkey King) in ancient Chinese mythology, according to legend, could change size from a toothpick to a "propping up heaven."
• The Curved Blade of the Green Dragon (青龍 偃月刀, Qīng Lóng Yǎnyuè Dāo, Green Dragon Crescent Blade) - Guan Tao , the legendary weapon of Guan Yu in the XIV century novel Three Kingdoms .
• Death Scythe in the traditional representation of Europeans.

Throwing weapons

Luke

Bows were also more often the weapons of the gods, rather than heroes. So, the bow of Shiva was an emblem of his strength. “The concept of“ tension ”(tension), clearly defined by Heraclitus and closely related to life and spiritual strength, is based on this symbolism. Benoist notes that the bow and arrow, as attributes of Apollo, personify the energy of the sun, its rays, the power of improvement and purification ” ^[15] .

• The golden bow was forged by Ilmarinen (along with the Red Ship and the Golden Plow).
• Tambar - bow of Einar Tambarskelvir (Einar Tambarskelvir, Einarr стрелambar-skęlfir), arrow Olav Tryggvason (Ólavur Tryggvason).
• Fail-not ( eng. Fail-not , Hitting without a miss) - Tristan's bow.
• Wuhao ( Chinese 烏 號 "dark cry" ) is a magic bow, according to ancient Chinese mythology, belonging to Huang-di .
• The red bow, donated by the god Di-jung Hou Yi , with shots from which the shooter shot down the extra nine suns (Chinese mythology).
• Bow of Hayk , from which he kills Bel , king of Babylon (Armenian mythology).

In ancient Greek mythology

• The bow of Apollo , from which arrows brought plague.
• The bow of Artemis , from it she could kill women.
• The bow of Hercules , with the help of which he accomplished some of his exploits (The Stymphalian Birds , The Cows of Gerion ), freed the chained Prometheus and even threatened the god Helios . The owner of the bow of Hercules after the death of the hero was Philoctetus . Only with this bow could Troy be taken.
• Odyssey’s bow, to pull a bowstring on which only he could.
• Bow of Eros ( Cupid ), arrows from which brought love.

In the Indian epic

• Gandiva - the bow of Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita .
• Vijaya - the bow of Karna , the weapon with which Indra once defeated the demons ^[35] .
• Pinaka (or Ajagawa) is the bow of Shiva .
• Sharnga (“horny”) is the bow of Krishna ( Vishnu ) ^[36] .
• The bow of Kamadeva , from which arrows brought love.

Arrows

Arrows usually symbolize the light of a higher power. Both in ancient Greece and in pre-Columbian America they denoted the sun's rays ^[15] .

• Anjalika is the name of the arrow that Arjuna defeated Karna.
• Pashupata (“sanctified Pashupati ”) is the arrow of Shiva.
• There were several myths explaining the appearance of the constellation Arrows in the sky :
  • this is the arrow of Apollo with which he killed the Cyclops .
  • this is the arrow of Heracles , with whom he killed the eagle, tormenting the liver of Prometheus .
• Golden arrow - Abaris , the priest of Apollo, flew on this arrow, originally belonged to this god.
• Arrow of mistletoe - with this arrow, at the instigation of Loki, the blind god Hod killed the luminiferous god Balder .
• The arrow of Paris , which hit the heel of the Achaean hero Achilles (" Achilles' heel "). The flight of the arrow was directed by Apollo himself.
• Bliskavitsa arrows were given to Zara Perun for protection against Chernobog ^[37] .

Other throwing weapons

• Sudarsana - Krsna's disk, attribute of Vishnu , forged by Twashtar .
• The sling of David , with the stone of which the Philistine Goliath was killed (1 Sam. 17).

Other Edged Weapons

• Gambanteyn (Gambantein) - the staff (club) of Hermod (Hermod), Scandinavian mythology.
• Gurza'i gav-sar (گرزه [ی] گاو سار, gurza 'i gav-sar, “bull-headed mace”) - the mace of Faridun , the character of “ Shahnameh ”. The weapon also belonged to Rustam .
• Carnwennan (Carnwennan, Carnwenhau, “guest”) - King Arthur’s knife or dagger.
• The ax of Kullukh (Culhwch) - belonged to Kuhulin, was so sharp that it made the air bleed.
• The Mace of Hercules , a gift from Daedalus ^[38] , option - made by Hercules from the ash, torn out by him with roots in the Nemean grove, as hard as iron. It served as an object of worship of the ancient Greeks - it was depicted separately on coins, terracotta altars were made in the form of a club ^[39] .

Hammers

• Möllnir is the hammer of Thor .
• Ukonvasara (Ukonvasara) - hammer Ukko .
• Grond Melkor's hammer.

Sickles

• Sickle of Kronos , with whom he blinded his father. Forged from adamant by telkhins , he could cut anything.
• The sickle, which, according to the Book of the Apocalypse, will be used by the Son of Man for souls at the end of the world ^[40] .

Whips and lashes

• Alberich’s golden seven-tailed whip (Albrîchene geisel swaere von golde), with which he broke Siegfried’s shield.
• The whip of the Celtic solar god Ogmios (Ogmios), could control the movement of the planets.
• In Russian fairy tales, the whip-samobi turns a man into a horse and disperses the hostile army ^[37] .

Unnamed Weapons

Used in myths by its own name, typological affiliation is mysterious.

• Сияющее Оружие, Сияние Ашшура — оружие Асархаддона и его сына Ашшурбанипала , оружие, испускающее яркое, ослепительное сияние, было частью головного убора богов, употреблялось в битвах против Египта. Оно же — у Салманасара : «Я воевал с Могучей Силой, которую дал мне Ашшур, повелитель мой; и с сильным оружием, дарованным мне Нергалом , что направляет меня». От оружия Ашшура, гласят надписи, исходило «сияние ужасное». Вражеские воины бежали с поля боя, увидев «ужасное Сияние Ашшура, объявшее их» ^[41] .
• Оружие тридцати — предположительно, гарпун , который Хор пустил в Сета и ранил его в тестикулы . Имел странный, практически невероятный наконечник — сначала выстреливал передний, самый большой снаряд, а потом два другие снаряда поменьше ^[41] .
• Молния Зевса .

В индуизме

• Агнея — мифическое огненное оружие Агни
• Антардхана («исчезновение») — легендарное оружие, применением которого можно было заставить исчезнуть предметы и препятствия, оружие Куберы .
• Брахмаширас («голова Брахмы ») — мифическое оружие, описанное в «Махабхарате»; называется также Пашупата или Раудра . Действие его ужасно и наделено чудовищной силой, в конце Юги оно испепеляет Вселенную, а последствия его применения в бою — поражение зародышей в женщинах. По одной версии — огненная стрела, по другой версии — сильнейший яд, добытый из глубин океана и выпитый Шивой для спасения мира, по третьей — пламя, заключённое в стебле травинки.
• Бхаума — мифическое оружие богини земли.
• Вайавъя («принадлежащий богу ветра Вайю») — вид мифического оружия, находящегося под покровительством бога Вайю и обладающего мощью ветра ^[42] .
• Оружие Грома — принадлежало Индре .
• Шакти (Sakti) — оружие Карны , данное ему Индрой .

Доспехи

• Бабр-е Байан (Babr-e Bayan) — непроницаемое для оружия, огня и воды одеяние Рустама из « Шахнаме ».
• Вигар (Wigar) — имя доспехов короля Артура ( Лайамон , «Брут»).
• Доспехи Ахилла , выкованные Гефестом .
• Доспехи Беовульфа , выкованные Вейландом .
• Доспехи Тора , включавшие Пояс Могущества, удваивавший его силы, и железные перчатки, благодаря которым он мог держать Мьёллнир.
  • Мегин-гьорд ( Megingjord ) — пояс.
  • Иарнгрейпер (Iarngreiper) — перчатки.
• Шкура Немейского льва , носилась Гераклом как доспех, так как её невозможно было пробить оружием.
• Рубашка Гоибниу — защищала как доспех.

Щиты

Античные щиты

• Эгида Афины и Зевса.
• Анкил — щит Марса.
• В античной поэзии, начиная с Гомера, традиционным стало подробное описание щита героя и изображений на нём:
  • Щит Ахилла , выкованный Гефестом — в XVIII песне « Илиады » Гомера.
  • Щит Геракла — в приписанной Гесиоду поэме VI в. BC e. «Щит Геракла».
  • Щит Аякса с семью слоями бычьей кожи — в VII песне « Илиады » Гомера.
  • Щит Энея — в VIII книге « Энеиды » Вергилия.
  • Щит Диониса — в XXV песне поэмы Нонна « Деяния Диониса ».
• Зеркальный щит Персея , в котором он смог увидеть Горгону и не превратиться в камень.

Щиты кельтов и рыцарских романов

• Дубан (Dubán, «чёрный») — чёрный щит Кухулина .
• Ламтапад («Быстрая рука») — щит Коналла Кернаха . По другим источникам — щит Брикрен («Пёстрый»).
• Крода (Cróda, «кровавый») — щит Кормака (предположительно, Кормака, сына Конхобара).
• Охайн (Ochain) — щит Конхобара (Conchobor).
• Уинебгуртихер (Wynebgwrthucher) — щит короля Артура в « Мабиногионе ». Он же называется Придвен (Pridwen) у Джеффри Монмутского (в « Мабиногионе » Придвен оказывается именем корабля Артура). В другом варианте зовётся Госвит (Goswhit).
• Щит Ланселота , дан ему Владычицей озера , излечивал рыцаря от усталости и давал ему силу троих мужчин.
• Щит Галахада , изготовлен королём Ивлейком (Evelake), украшен красным крестом, написанным кровью Иосифа Аримафейского .
• Заколдованный щит Абима, мавра из « Песни о Роланде », украшенный драгоценными камнями, добытыми сатаной ^[43] .

Щиты в славянском мире

• Щит Яровита , славянского бога военной ярости и плодородия, огромный и обтянутый золотом, был неприкосновенным в мирное время, и приводил к победам во время военное ^[44] .

Скандинавские щиты

• Свалинн ( Svalinn ) — в скандинавской мифологии щит, стоящий перед солнцем.
• Скреппинг (Skrepping, Skrep, Skrepping) — щит Видрика Верландсона (Виттиха, Wudga ) (Vidrik Verlandson; Wittich), датская баллада ^[45] . Другой вариант его имени — Бортинг (Borting).
• Щит Тьмы , использовался Хёдом для защиты от бога Вали .

Шлемы

• Госвит (Goswhit, «белоснежный, как гусь») — шлем короля Артура по Лайамону.
• Кат Барр (Cath Barr, Caṫḃárr, Cathbhárr) — шлем Луга , с одним драгоценным камнем позади и двумя впереди.
• Шлем Рустама (« Шахнаме »), на котором была закреплена голова белого гиганта Див-е-Сепида (Dive-e Sepid).
• Шлем-невидимка , выкованный циклопами для Гадеса , использовался Персеем .

Исторические шлемы

• Шлем св. Вацлава — шлем X—XI веков, приписываемый чешскому князю Вацлаву. Национальная реликвия Чехии.
• Шлем Ярослава Всеволодовича — шлем князя Ярослава Всеволодовича , один из древнейших сохранившихся древнерусских шлемов ( Оружейная палата ).
• «Шапка Ерихонская» (Государственный шлем Российской империи), изображение которой входило в Полный государственный герб Российской империи , парадный шлем царя Михаила Фёдоровича , по последним исследованиям, выполнявший функцию воинского венца русских царей, имеет в основе колпак из иранского булата XIV в., ( 1621 г., мастер Никита Давыдов, Оружейная палата ) ^[24] .

Шлемы из германского фольклора

• Бланк (Blank, сверкающий) — шлем Видрика Верландсона (Виттиха) (Vidrik Verlandson; Wittich), датская баллада ^[45] . Варианты имени — Grib, Bierthing, Blanck, Birting.
• Венерант (Venerant, Uenerant)) — шлем Роланда по немецким источникам.
• Лимме (Limme) — шлем, выкованный Вейландом для его сына Виттиха.
• Тарнхельм ( Tarnhelm , Tarnkappe) — шлем-невидимка, выкованный гномами в « Кольце Нибелунга » Рихарда Вагнера .
• Хильдигримр (Hildigrimr, Hildegrim) — шлем Тидрека (Thidrek — Дитриха Бернского) в «Саге о Тидреке» («Thidrekssaga»). Ярко сверкал круглым драгоценным камнем.
• Хулидсхельм (Huliðshjálmr) — шлем карликов.
• Эгисхельм , Шлем-страшило ^[46] (Ægis-helm, ægishjálmr, «шлем ужаса») — служил Фафниру , чтобы отпугивать возможных похитителей его сокровища, захвачен Зигфридом . Другой шлем Зигфрида принадлежал Дреду (Helm of Dread).

• Кузнец в мифологии

• Ричард Ф. Бёртон. Книга мечей, 2007
• The Encyclopedia of the Sword
• Markus Sesko. Legends and Stories Around the Japanese Sword
• Charles Kauffman. Names and weapons // Communication Monographs Volume 56, Issue 3, 1989
• Martin Puhvel. The Deicidal Otherworld Weapon in Celtic and Germanic Mythic Tradition // Folklore. Volume 83, Issue 3, 1972
• Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson. The Sword in Anglo-Saxon England: Its Archeology and Literature
• Jane Bliss. Naming and Namelessness in Medieval Romance
• The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend

• Lost & Found Chest from the Fantastical World
• Weapons runes
• Simbolarium. Weapon