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This is a list of notable types of weapons that were used in , and more broadly in , prior to the advent of the early modern period, i.e., approximately prior to the start of the 16th century. It therefore excludes objects that may be broadly understood as weapons but are not combat weapons, such as ceremonial weapons and ritual tools shaped or conceptualized as weapons, , and other items that may be perceived as weapons but for which there is no historical evidence of their use in combat during the relevant period.

The entries are grouped according to their uses, with similar weapons categorized together. Some weapons may fit more than one category (e.g. the spear may be used either as a or as a ), and the earliest gunpowder weapons that fill within this period are also included.

Hand-to-hand combat
Hand or fist weapons and fans
Single-handed weapons not resembling a straight dagger blade, usually wielded without wrist action; often protects the forearm.

  • , tiger claws (Indian)
  • , knuckle dusters (European)
  • Cestus, bladed cestus, caestus, myrmex, sfere (Mediterranean)
  • Deer horn knives (Chinese)
  • (Chinese)
  • Finger knife
    (2025). 9780756622107, DK Publishing.
    (African)
  • Gauntlet (European)
  • Indian parrying weapon
  • Japanese fan, iron fan
  • Katar, suwaiya (कटार) (Indian)
  • Korean fan, mubuchae (무부채), tempered birch fan
  • Larim fighting bracelet, nyepel (African)
  • , buckhorn parrying stick, maru (Indian)
  • Pata, sword gauntlet (Indian)
  • , also see Katar (dagger) (Indian)
  • , tekko kagi (Japanese)
  • Wind and fire wheels (Chinese)
  • Moche tiger claw (Peru)

Edged and bladed weapons
Thrusting and cutting weapons for melee combat. Col. D.H. Gordon's classification has been used where applicable.

Swords
Curved one-handed

Straight one-handed

Curved two-handed

Hand-and-a-half and two-handed greatswords
  • Assamese dao (Indian, Southeast Asian)
  • (European)
  • (Chinese)
  • Claidheamh da laimh, highland sword (European)
  • , Scottish Gaelic for "great sword" (Scottish, European)
  • Dadao (Chinese)
  • Executioner's sword, heading sword, sword of justice (European)
  • Flame-bladed sword, flambard, flammard, flammenschwert (European)
  • (Japanese)
  • , bastard sword, espée bastarde, hand and a half sword (European)
  • (Japanese)
  • , Ōdachi (Japanese)
  • Parade sword, paratschwerter (European)
  • (Chinese)
  • Zanbatō (Japanese)
  • (Chinese)
  • Zweihänder, great sword, espadon, spadone, tuck, montante, lowland sword, two handed sword, dopplehänder (European)

Shortswords
Delineated as 20-28 inches/51–71 cm total length.
(1989). 9781555842901, Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

Curved shortswords include the following:

Straight shortswords include the following:

Axe-like
Generally, convex blades used for heavy chopping or slashing.

Other

Fighting knives and daggers
Sickles and sickle like knives
Generally short, concave blades used for heavy cutting.

  • (Maduresian, Indonesian)
  • , kerambit, korambit (Minangkabauian, Indonesian)
  • Kujang (Sundanese, Indonesian)
  • (Indian)
  • Mandau (Malaysian, Indonesian, Bornean, Bruneian)
  • (Indian)
  • (Philippinese, Southeast Asian)
  • (Improvised, worldwide)
  • Sudanese sickle knife (African)

Picks and pickaxes
  • (Chinese)
  • (European, Central Asian)
  • , ankus, ankusha, bullhook, elephant hook (South and Southeast Asian)
  • (European)
  • Horseman's pick, martel de fer, also a blunt weapon (European)
  • Kama (Japanese)
  • (Improvised, European)
  • (Improvised, European)
  • also a blunt weapon (European)

Axes

Truncheons and blunt weapons
Usually wielded with one or two hands at close quarters with striking motions, although some sharp-pointed truncheons like the sai were more often used for stabbing.

  • (Osci tribe of Southern Italy)
  • Bō (Japanese)
  • (Japanese)
  • (Worldwide)
  • (Australian)
  • (Southeast Asian)
  • Canne de combat (European)
  • (European)
  • Chúi (Chinese)
  • Club, baseball bat, stone club, truncheon, cudgel, bludgeon
  • Crop (Worldwide)
  • Bastons, , straight sticks (Southeast Asian)
  • Flail (European)
  • Gada (Indian)
  • Gunstock war club also thrown (American)
  • , Ottoman gurz (Middle Eastern)
  • (Improvised)
  • Hanbō (Japanese)
  • Horseman's pick, horseman's hammer, martel de fer, also a pickaxe weapon (European)
  • Jawbone war club (American)
  • Jō (Japanese)
  • , jitte (Japanese)
  • Kanabō (Japanese)
  • , knopkierie, knobkerry (African)
  • (Māori)
  • Kurunthadi, churuvadi, kuruvadi, muchan, otta (Indian)
  • (American)
  • Mace, spiked mace, flanged mace (European, Middle Asian)
  • , maquahuitl (American)
  • (American)
  • Mere used to strike, jab (Māori)
  • Morning star, goedendag, holy water sprinkler (European)
  • Mughal (Central Asian)
  • Ōtsuchi (Japanese)
  • , patuki (Māori)
  • Plançon a picot, planson (European)
  • Quauholōlli (American)
  • Roundhead (European)
  • Rungu also thrown (African)
  • Sai (Okinawan, Japanese)
  • , (Russian)
  • Shillelagh (Irish)
  • , mace scepter (European)
  • Stone war club (American)
  • (Japanese)
  • Sword mace 鐧 (Chinese)
  • Tambo, tanbo (Okinawan)
  • (Japanese)
  • (Malaysia)
  • (Māori)
  • (Okinawan)
  • , Nulla Nulla (Australian)
  • also a pickaxe weapon (European)
  • , pasak, yawara bo, dulodulo (Japanese, Southeast Asian)
  • (Japanese)

Polearms and spears
Wielded mainly with two hands. Primarily for hand-to-hand combat with sweeping, thrusting, and or hooking motions.

Blunt staves
  • Bâton français (European)
  • Bō (Japanese)
  • (Okinawan)
  • Gun (Chinese)
  • Jō (Japanese)
  • (Indian)
  • , shoum, nabboot, asa, asaya (Middle Eastern)
  • (European)
  • Shareeravadi (Middle Asian)
  • (Māori)

Spears

Polearms with axe-like blades

Polearms with spikes and hammers

Flexible weapons
Whips
Used for whipping.
  • (Worldwide)
  • (Philippinese)
  • Cat o' nine tails (European)
  • , jiujiebian, samjitbin, qijiebian (Chinese)
  • (Eastern European)
  • , nagaika, nogaika (Eastern European)
  • Small whips, crops (Worldwide)
  • (Australian)
  • , chuttuval (Indian)

Sectional and composite
Having multiple handles or holdable sections.
  • (Okinawan)
  • , chako (Southeast Asian)
  • Three-section staff (Okinawan, Chinese))
  • Two-section staff, xhang xiao ban, could also be considered a polearm (Chinese)

Chains and ropes
Having a heavy object attached to a flexible chain or rope. Wielded by swinging, throwing, or projecting the end, as well as wrapping, striking, and blocking with the chain or rope, sometimes attached to another type of weapon.
  • (Japanese)
  • , double ended flail, flail with quoits (Indian)
  • Flail, fleau d'armes, kriegsflegel (European)
  • (Chinese)
  • Flying guillotine (Chinese)
  • , manrikigusari, manriki (Japanese)
  • (Japanese)
  • (Japanese)
  • , uurga, lariat (American, Chinese)
  • , dragon's fist, dai chui, flying hammer, sheng bao, liu xing chui (Chinese)
  • , jouhyou, rope javelin, sheng biao (Japanese, Chinese)
  • Monkey's fist (Improvised, European, Japanese, Chinese)
  • , suruchin (Okinawan)

Shields
Used not only to block strikes and missiles but also swung outwardly (or in quick upward motions) to strike an opponent. Also used to rush an opponent (known as shield bashing). Some shields had spikes, sharp edges, or other offensive designs.

Thrown
Throwing blades and darts

Throwing spears
All could be used as , but were designed and primarily used for throwing.

Throwing axes
Could also be used as axe weapons, but were specifically designed for throwing.
  • , francesca (European)
  • , danisco, goleyo, njiga (African)
  • , whirlbat (European)
  • Kapak siam (Asian)
  • (African)
  • Tomahawk also an axe weapon (American)

Throwing balls

Throwing sticks
  • (Australian, Worldwide)
  • , knopkierie, knobkerry, also a blunt weapon (African)
  • Rungu (East African)
  • Stick, (Improvised, Worldwide)

Gunpowder-based
  • howitzer (Turkish)
  • , caliver, hackbut, harkbus, harquebus (European)
  • Bajō-zutsu pistol (Japanese)
  • Basilisk cannon (European)
  • Bâton à feu hand cannon (French)
  • hand cannon (Indonesian)
  • , donderbus (European)
  • Bō-hiya rocket arrow (Japanese)
  • Bombard (European, Middle Eastern, Chinese)
  • Byzantine bombard (Greek)
  • Byzantine fire tube (cannon)Γεώργιος Ηλιόπουλος (Georgios Iliopoulos), "Η χαμένη πυραυλική τεχνολογία των αρχαίων Ελλήνων" (The lost missile technology of the ancient Greeks), Ιχώρ (Ihor), 27, page 12-13, Greece, 2002. (Greek)
  • Byzantine rocket launcherΓεώργιος Ηλιόπουλος (Georgios Iliopoulos), "Η χαμένη πυραυλική τεχνολογία των αρχαίων Ελλήνων" (The lost missile technology of the ancient Greeks), Ιχώρ (Ihor), 27, page 13, Greece, 2002. (Greek)
  • (European, Middle Eastern, Chinese)
  • cannon (Indonesian, Southeast Asian)
  • Che Dian Chong musket (Chinese)
  • cannon (Korean)
  • cannon (French)
  • (Turkish)
  • bombard (Belgian)
  • cannon (Malaysian)
  • Falconet, falcon cannon (European)
  • cannon (European)
  • bombard (Polish)
  • bombard (German)
  • , rocket arrow (Chinese)
  • , Huo Qiang lance hand cannon (Chinese)
  • bombard (German)
  • (European, Middle Eastern, Chinese)
  • (European)
  • Heilongjiang hand cannon (Chinese)
  • Hu Dun Pao cannon (Chinese)
  • rocket arrow launcher (Chinese)
  • hand cannon (Chinese)
  • rocket arrow launcher (Korean)
  • (Indonesian)
  • (Indonesian)
  • (Vietnamese)
  • , rentaka cannon (Philippinese, Indonesian, Malaysian, Southeast Asian)
  • Lela cannon (Malaysian)
  • Meriam kecil hand cannon (Indonesian, Malaysian)
  • bombard (Belgian)
  • Mortar (European, Middle Eastern, Chinese)
  • Orban bombard (Turkish)
  • , ribauldequin, ribauiidkin, ribault, rabauld (European)
  • hand cannon (European)
  • Pierrier a boite cannon (French)
  • Pistol (European)
  • Pot de fer cannon (French)
  • , pranki, pranku, paranki, pranga, parangi, prangu, parangu, piranki, pirangi, farangi, firingi, firingiha cannon (Turkish, Indian)
  • Pumhart von Steyr bombard (Austrian)
  • San Yan Chong three barrel hand cannon (Chinese)
  • Shou Chong hand cannon (Chinese)
  • , shinkichon rocket arrow (Korean)
  • Tanegashima arquebus (Japanese)
  • Tarasnice cannon (European)
  • , torador arquebus (Indian)
  • Tu Huo Qiang hand cannon (Chinese)
  • cannon (French)
  • Wankou Chong cannon (Chinese)
  • cannon (Chinese)
  • Xi Xia cannon (Chinese)
  • Xun Lei Chong spear five barrel revolver musket (Chinese)

Slings
  • Kestros, cestrus, cestrosfendoni, kestrosfedoni (Greek)
  • Sling (Worldwide)
  • , fustibale (Mediterranean)

Bows
Longbows

Recurve bows

Short bows and reflex bows

Crossbows
  • , arblast (European)
  • Bullet bow, English bullet bow, pellet crossbow (European)
  • , hirovallistra hand ballista (Roman, Greek)
  • (European, Chinese)
  • , gastrafetis (Greek)
  • Pistol crossbow
  • Repeating crossbow, chu ko nu, zhuge (Chinese)
  • Skåne lockbow (European)
  • (European)

Blowguns

Stationary, mounted, or wheeled ballistic devices
This section includes (missile-launching) and similar larger ballistic devices which were either stationary, mounted on moving objects such as carts or elephants, or wheeled.

Flamethrowers

See also
  • List of martial arts weapons
  • List of medieval weapons
  • List of practice weapons

Swords

  • List of Japanese swords
    • List of Wazamono
  • List of fictional swords
  • List of legendary swords
  • List of historical swords
  • Classification of swords
  • List of types of swords

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