A Brief History
On August 26, 1346, at the Battle of Crecy, English archers proved the superiority of the English longbow over the combination of armored knights and crossbowmen fielded by the French. There have been many weapons throughout history that did not need either gunpowder or explosives to be effective. Here 10 such weapons are listed in no particular order.
Digging Deeper
10. Hands, Feet, Teeth, 1st Use Unknown.
The absolute simplest weapons: hands, feet and teeth can be used to strike, kick or bite an opponent quite effectively, even killing him or it (if an animal). For example, just this year, a Texas lady saved her child from a pitbull by biting the dog’s ear off. Hands make pretty good choking devices as well, as do arms and legs. The downside is that when using body parts, you are also close enough for the other human or animal adversary to use theirs as well. Still, probably millions of people have been killed by other people who used only their own body parts. The author of this text can personally attest to the effectiveness of poking opponents in the eye during a fight, something they just do not expect and are shocked by, giving the “poker” a great advantage over the “pokee.” When facing a truly impressive predator, such as a shark, an alligator or person much bigger and stronger than yourself, an eye poke my be your only hope. Joint manipulation (arm bar, wrist lock, ankle lock, etc.) is also quite effective, as often demonstrated in mixed martial arts (MMA) fights.
9. Spear/Pike/Javelin, 1st Use Unknown.
The first time some caveman picked up a stick and jabbed another person or animal with it, the spear was born. The spear in its simplest form is just a sharpened stick, but even that can be quite effective at penetrating opponents, be they animal or man. Hardening the pointy end with fire makes it even more effective, and putting an extremely sharp stone, bone or metal blade on the end makes it most effective. A nice long pike can keep an enemy from using his knife, sword or club on you. Used either for thrusting (Zulus) or throwing (Greek javelin), spears can be both close-range or long-range weapons. The distance covered by long-range spears is further increased by using an atlatl (spear-throwing tool). The metal center piece of the javelin is designed to bend when it hit an opponent or even if it misses, making it unusable to be thrown back. History and Headlines Fact: The modern plastic-ball-throwing device used for playing fetch with dogs or the plastic device used for throwing clay pigeons during a game of skeet are types of atlatls.
8. Club/Mace/War Hammer, 1st Use Unknown.
The simplest weapons after rocks, pieces of wood used as clubs are pretty effective against unsuspecting or unarmed opponents. Native Americans were enthusiastic “clubbers” as late as the end of 19th century, and many bashed-in heads attest to the effectiveness of clubs. The club and its derivatives, the mace and the war hammer, give their users more reach than they would have with either a rock or a knife; their length gives greater leverage and speed to the striking end of the weapon, making it more effective than a short, handheld device. In medieval times, maces and war hammers made of a wooden shaft and which had a metal striking surface could both penetrate armor or kill/disable an armored foe by means of blunt trauma.
7. Dogs, c. 30,000 B.C.
Man has had a close partnership with dogs, probably the first domesticated animals, for a long, long time. Not only were dogs used as weapons against game animals and predators that threatened humans, they were also employed as weapons againt other humans, both in war and at home. Dogs have even been used against other people, both in war and on the home front where they have been trained to protect homes, businesses and to guard people. The first recorded large-scale use of dogs in war was around 650 B.C. They have also been used to act as mine or bomb detectors or sadly as sacrificial mine-clearing animals. Criminal suspects may well disobey orders from an armed police officer to stop or to submit to arrest, but few can stand up to being “arrested” by a police K-9! Dogs have probably saved millions of people over the years from harm or death by other people or animals, sometimes at the cost of their own lives. One wonderful example is as Dachshund that saved his owner from a bear (Michigan, 2013). History and Headlines Note: The Dachshund, or Wiener Dog, may not be large, but it is perhaps one of the bravest and most ferocious of dogs.
6. Poisons, 1st Use Unknown.
Whether poison from frogs rubbed on arrows or blowgun darts, cyanide derived from peach pits, carbon monoxide, chlorine gas, arsenic, strychnine, mustard gas, belladonna, snake venom, acids or any of a myriad of other poisons and toxins, these compounds have been used to kill animals, insects, plants and people for thousands of years. Used on a limited scale to kill or sicken a single person, plant or animal, or on a large scale to kill thousands, poisons have been especially used by murderers and assassins to surreptitiously kill their victim or prey, often without the need for their own physical presence, making escape or non-detection more probable. The use of herbicides (pesticides used to kill plants) to ruin an enemy’s crops or to deprive him of hiding places (as Agent Orange was used in Viet Nam by the U.S.) can be an effective use of poison without directly killing the enemy. Tear gas, pepper spray and Mace are non-lethal and human versions of this effective weapon.
5. Fire, 1st Use Unknown.
Man has used fire for at least a million years, and evidence of food having been cooked dates back an incredible 1.9 million years! Somewhere along the line some early human ancestor figured out that fire protected them against dangerous animals and also that it was an effective hunting tool (Until fairly recently in history, Native Americans of the Plains still used fire to herd animals over a cliff, causing them to fall to their deaths.) It could not have been long after the first person burned himself with a flame that the idea of using fire to burn someone else occurred to him. Since antiquity, fire has been used in warfare to burn down the enemy’s fortifications, force the enemy’s movement out of cover and to burn people. The Greeks are reputed to have used an ancient form of flamethrower which they mounted on their ships. Nowadays, Molotav cocktails are used for the same purpose. Fire is also quite effective at controlling the population of witches and heretics, or so we at History and Headlines have heard.
4. Germ Warfare, 1st Use Unknown.
Outlawed by an agreement signed by 165 countries in 1972, biological or germ warfare has been around since at least 500 B.C. when Assyrians poisoned the wells of their enemies with fungus. Other examples include: launching the dead bodies of people who had died of smallpox or another disease into an enemy’s fort; giving smallpox-contaminated blankets to Native Americans; and sending mail containing Anthrax. Downsides includes risks to oneself and one’s own people and the fact that sometimes the germs need a while to take effect. Conspiracy theorists speculate that AIDS is actually a form of germ warfare used by a mysterious power elite to eliminate minorities, drug addicts and homosexuals. Many people, especially in 3rd world countries, refuse vaccinations as a result of fear of being subjected to germ warfare. Individuals can be assassinated through small amounts of carefully applied naturally-derived toxins such as Ricin or Botulinum (See #6).
3. Katana (Samurai Sword), c. 12th century A.D.
The Katana is designed to be a 2-handed slashing sword, not a fencing or stabbing sword. This famous sword with a 24 to 28 inch blade is painstakingly made by craftsmen using the finest quality steel. Made by welding and pounding different types of steel together and folding the metal over and over while hammering it by hand, construction of a quality sword can take months or even a year. The blade is basically manufactured straight, but careful application of secret clay compounds (each swordsmith has his own) at the cutting edge of the blade causes the unprotected back part of the blade to shrink slightly as it cools between forging sessions, resulting in a slightly curved blade that is softer on the spine, making it flexible and resistant to cracking, and harder on the edge, giving a sharper, harder, more durable cutting surface. The result is a sword that can cut better than any other sword ever made. It can even cut through light armor. The downside is the time it takes to manufacture one, and it is expensive. The swords mass produced during World War II were not of the traditional quality.
2. Mongolian Bow and Mounted Archer, circa 1200 A.D.
A composite bow made of wood, horn and sinew that has been laminated and bound with animal glue, this bow has a recurved design, which allows it to retain the power of a much longer bow despite not having the length. The reason why shortening the bow was important was because the Mongols used them while mounted on horses. When one considers the size of the Mongol Empire at its peak, this must have been pretty effective. Although composite recurve bows were in use long before the Mongols (before 1000 B.C.), the Mongols were superb horsemen as well as archers. This combination brought out the best traits of the recurve bow.
1. English Longbow, c. 2665 B.C.
These 6-foot long Medieval bows were not the only longbows around or even the first, but they came into prominence during the Hundred Years’ War. Also called the Welsh Longbow, these extremely powerful bows were made of Yew or Boxwood and had a draw weight (force in a fully drawn bow) of at least 80 pounds and as much as 185 pounds. This is much more powerful than today’s hunting bows (which have a draw weight of around 50-60 pounds) . Obviously the medieval bows required a strong, well-trained archer. The size and power was necessary so that arrows could be shot that would be big and fast enough to pierce the armor of knights. (Thinner versions of armor, especially those made from mail and iron plate, were susceptible to penetration by arrows, however, thicker steel plate was pretty much arrow proof.) The longbow fired at a much higher rate than crossbows, with about 6 shots per minute, making them the rapid-fire weapon of their day.
Although more accurate and faster to fire the next volley (the simultaneous discharge of firearms), longbows and arrows required so much time and effort to craft, that they were quickly replaced by cheaper muskets that could be used by minimally-trained troops firing cheap, easy-to-produce musket balls.
Question for students (and subscribers): Which weapons would you add to the list? (Slingshot? Air gun? Garrote? There are lots of possibilities here!) Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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For another interesting event that happened on August 26, please see the History and Headlines article: “Krakatoa: Most Violent Volcanic Eruption in 1,800 Years after Vesuvius.”
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Nicolle, David and Graham Turner. Crécy 1346: Triumph of the longbow (Campaign). Osprey Publishing, 2000.
The featured image in this article, The Battle of Crecy in 1346, is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 100 years or fewer.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="4263 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=4263">86 Comments
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Sounds like my kind of weapons!
Do you have a favorite from the list?
I think the rock sling could be a contender for this list. It may be the easiest “long range” weapon to make and rock ammo might as well be infinite. Not to mention stones infamy as a bone breaker in “Sticks and Stones”
-Forest G
I was really thrown off when the dogs came into the picture! But my favorite will always have to be the English Longbow.
I would have to choose a Mongolian bow as my favorite. The dogs also surprised me a little bit.
It’s amazing how many different kinds of weapons people use through out different time periods some evolve in design and some stay kind of the same its really interesting! -L.L.
The CBRN (chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear) warfare is so effective.
I was surprised by the dogs, and the poison… Fire seemed reasonable, as in history many villages were literally burnt to extinction. I think historically this list was more reasonable then the one we watched in class.
This article shows that people can use just about anything to kill an individual! My too favorites were fe poison weapons, biological/germ warfare, and dogs killing opponents. It’s incredible how these three work to kill!
The
vast array of weaponry that is used is simply astonishing. It just shows the lengths that people will go
to accomplish their objectives. If I added
a weapon to the list it would be the slingshot. — David T. Wardle
I would either choose the human body or Mongolian bow. The most surprising was the dogs. All the weapons are interesting.
Poisons are my favorite because they can be used so unexpectedly. My
favorite by far and notorious not only for use as a weapon but also as a
means to take one’s own life and avoid capture. Dogs would be a close
second because of their protective nature.
I personally have a long bow and a compound bow. I love both of them and use them for hunting purposes only. I find the long bow extremely complicated but i love the simplicity and power.
Amanda Lint
The dogs really threw me for a loop in this article but I would have to agree with everyone who also choose the English longbow. I also hunt with a compound now and I love using it. I think the longbow would be very difficult for me to use though.
spears are awesome because instead of a 6 foot sword you have incredible reach with an 12 ft pike
I like the craftsmanship and amount of labor that goes into making the Katana. It makes it not only a weapon but a symbolically beautiful and unique object. Another weapon I found interesting was germ warfare. Very creepy to think about its use in the past and possible future.
I find it fascinating that some of the most dangerous weapons in the world are not what the average person would consider a weapon such as a gun or a spear. Weapons can be such as learning to discipline the mind and body as such to create a lethal weapon or as disciplining dogs to attack. I think the most terrifying weapon though is germs, because they cannot be seen by the naked eye and have a lingering effect on a human.
The katana is one of my favorites even though it’s use today is mostly ineffective because of the large amounts of long range weapons. But it is gaining popularity with it being featured on the Walking Dead.
Whenever I think about weapons without firepower, germ warfare is always the most frightening. Throughout history, diseases have swayed wars and ravaged entire nations. Even today, the threat of mobilized and weaponized ebola is terrifying and real.
I would choose the katana as my favorite, it’s so sharp and so unique
I really think it is interesting how many different nearly “secretive” ways we have created to harm or kill. Poisons and germ warfare come to the front in this case, but there are others such as small darts and long-range weapons which can be just as effective if an attacker is attempting to conceal themselves from an opponent or target.
Germ warfare had to be my favorite weapon to read about. It is easy for me to forget how powerful certain germs can be, but it is very effective and also cynical to use potent germs to kill mass groups of people.
Why do long bows take such a long time to craft? Seems like it would be fairly easy to craft.
I had no idea that the modern plastic ball throwing device used for fetch was a type of atlatl. That is awesome!
Number four really surprised me, Germ Warfare. I cannot believe that is has been around since as early as 500BC.
The katana has always been my favorite just because the fighting style that results from combat with a katana matches my personality, though I have to say that the longbow is a pretty amazing weapon as it not only changed medieval warfare forever but also implied the direction that future warfare would move towards (long-range projectile weapons).
I like this different perspective in comparison to Discovery’s list. I was disappointed when the katana was on 10th on discovery’s list, and happy to find it as 3rd here. I also like that Dogs are on here.
I am surprised that the body (hands, feet, etc.) was number ten on this list when it was number one on a list which included weapons that require gunpowder. I believe that the ranking of the body as number ten on this list is more sensible though because it requires extremely close contact, which increases one’s risk of injury from his or her opponent. While the bow would be extremely effective in causing injury from a safe distance, I would not choose that weapon for myself because it takes such strength and skill to master. Thus, the Katana would be my weapon of choice because it can cause a lot of damage with very little training or skill needed.
I found the use of diseases to be the most interesting. It was fascinating to see how this strategic weapon was used. Sending disease through mail or even throwing diseased corpses over an enemy base.
I think when most people think of weapons, including myself, the first thing that comes to their mind is some type of gun. I think this article really hammers home that there are so many more deadly weapons that can be used without using gunpowder such as martial arts! Also, one thing that I would throw on this list is a pencil because one of my psychology professors told me how deadly it is and we carry one around every day.
I enjoyed reading about the strength and
power of the human body. It was interesting to read that a Texas lady saved her child
from a pitbull by biting the dog’s ear off. I
was shocked to learn that the Dachshund or Wiener dog are the bravest and most
ferocious of dogs, I would have never assumed that because of their size. My favorite
weapon to read about is the longbow.
Reading about these multiple weapons that don’t need gunpowder makes me realize how deadly anything can really be. The fact that almost all these weapons especially the bows shows the domino effect has on escalation and warfare.
Germ Warfare has to be the most terrifying weapon on this list. A treaty may have been signed in 1972 but a treaty is just a piece of paper when it comes to warring nations. As I see it, germ warfare is the quickest and easiest way to potentially eliminate a large population. I would say that germ warfare should be number one on this list.
With all the advancements in weaponry over the years, I still do believe man in the greatest of all. Not only can he use himself as a weapon, but his mind too, is what is used to develop all the complex weapons whether it be from AK47’s to poisonous gases, man is the one behind it all.
I agree with the human body as being an extremely effective weapon because a human is neded to operate all weapons.
I think that out of all of these, germ warfare would be the most dangerous. As the article stated, people who use germ warfare put themselves at risk as well as the innocent civilians when using this tactic.
The fact that a piece of wood and glue can make such a deadly weapon.
Amazes me. No one would really believe them if you told them that because it seems so easy to stop
Germ Warfare just sounds absolutely cruel. Obviously any type of killing is cruel but this one just seems like such a harsh form of torture. Much rather get my head cut off by a Katana… at least that’d be a little cool….
When you think about weapons, most think of guns and other high-tech firearms. This article was really interesting to read because it shows and explains the many different non explosive weapons used throughout history, many of which are still used today.
I think that the human arms legs and teeth are the greatest weapon we have with or without gundpowder and explosives because even though it requires great skill, sometimes other weapons are not as reliable.
I like the Welsh bow. There is just something more elegant about a weapon like that.
I expected to see the human body in the top 3 of the most effective weapons. I understand the Longbow has great strength, but I feel that it is too inaccurate to be number 1 on this list.
A few of the options surprised me a lot…it never occurred to me to include germ warfare, dogs, or fire in the list of top 10 non-gunpowder based weapons. I would have liked to see the bastard sword or cavalry saber on there as well though.
The Samurai sword would definitely be my number one pick. It seems like it would be fairly easy to use and extremely effective. I also think poisons would be an effective weapon because when used right, they could potentially cause a lot of damage to large groups of people.
I really think the longbow is such a great weapon. It was lightweight and very basic. Also, the longbow could do as much damage as any other weapon from a much greater distance. Believe me, I’m no archer, but if I lived in a time where I needed to know how to use one, I would have practiced every day to become the best archer in the history of archers.
I think that it is fascinating that t dogs are considered one of the most effective weapons, when I wouldn’t think a dog is a weapon as all… but it brings up an interesting point.
Personally, the bow is my favorite. Its lightweight and can be used from a distance, as well as in closer combat –– though that would prove to be a bit more difficult. I can honestly say that I was not surprised by anything on the list. I saw some people were shocked to see dogs on the list, but as a reader of the ASOIAF series, attack dogs were common as well as poisons.
I find it very fascinating that the medieval English Longbow is ranked number one. After the the technology of riffles, poison, dogs, and the human body. The power and efficiency of a bow and arrow can pierce through a knights armor and kill. It’s the most impressive weapon because it takes a lot of skill and a strong warrior to use this weapon.
Clubs seem pretty brutal to me, something that I would not think to be a pleasant death. I also feel bad for the dogs that are made to go find bombs. I think from the video that longbows seem like the coolest and to be quite effective.
Talked about the Longbow in class today. Never knew that it was THAT important or effective of a weapon…
This makes me wonder how long germ warfare has been around. It is now outlawed, but it can be extremely effective, and has little loss of life to those who use it.
Germ warfare and poisons frighten me more than anything else on the list. These can occur at any moment anywhere in the world. Even though germ warfare is frowned upon it could still occur.
It’s kind of frightening thinking about how even in the beginnings of human history, we were trying to kill each other (most likely for some of the same reasons too). I guess some things never do change. It’s interesting that some of our most basic biological responses to certain situations lurk below the surface of our “civilized society.” It makes me think of the movies / tv shows based around apocalyptic situations in which people either fight for their lives (oftentimes killing others in the process) or die.
I think that biological warfare is the most interesting, because it seems crazy what countries could actually do with that! But my favorite is the dogs. I was not surprised by this entry because my sister has 2 dogs that know me very well and are very protective over me as well. It is something that we do not think about when we have them.
Some of these are absolutely awesome. I especially like the longbow!
The Katana and the Mace are pretty cool choices. Germ Warfare is pretty scary and I hate dogs, so those would have to be my least favorites. I would add slingshots to the list. Although probably not too effective, they’re a lot of fun.
My favorite is also the Mongolian bow! Hands and feet would be interesting to see in person (with 10,000 some odd people on each side)
hands feet and teeth, simple and I like it.
War without gun power is so different than what it is today it is hard to imagine. My favorite from the list would be the long bow
It does not surprise me that bows are the top two because they are fatal from longer distances. My favorite would have to be the katana just from damage it is seen doing in the video.
The idea without war today filled with gunpowder is hard to imagine. But my favorite weapon has to be the long bow, so deadly.
I have to say dogs are probably my favorite from the list because of the sheer response that they get being on a list like this. We think of dogs only as pets but many forget that they have been our counterparts for centuries, and that requires a kind of understood protection on both ends. Of course the dogs that can be used as weapons are probably far the labradoodle that my family has, but nonetheless the primal foundation is still there.
Dear Nick,
What is your labradoodle’s name?
Sincerely,
Dr. Zarzeczny
I have heard of most of the weapons mentioned on this list, but one that I had not was dogs. While reading this, you would not think to group your furry best friend with deathly weapons such as poison, germ warfare, and different kinds of bows. I knew that dogs have been commonly used as guards or as a drug or mine sniffer, but never have I really thought to consider them to be a “weapon.” This reading opened my eyes to how strong and destructive dogs can really be.
Dear Corey,
Have you ever had a dog as a pet? If so, what kind?
Sincerely,
Dr. Zarzeczny
Not a fan of poisons—or using biological warfare. Creating germs, poisons, etc. is just a scary thought and can effect a lot more people than those involved in direct fighting. If there has to be fighting in this day, stick to guns.
I think my favorite would have to go with germ warfare because just thinking of using dead contagious bodies to siege a wall is quite different. My least favorite would have to be dogs because if a dog is brought into combat it may not be alive by the end. As an animal lover this would be tough for me.
The katana is by far my favorite of these of these weapons a close second is martial arts
I would say that the English longbow is my favorite
In my opinion using a non explosive weapon requires more creativity & intelligence. Something like fire or water can we manipulated in so many ways to make an effective weapon. Another non explosive that can be used as a weapon could be rocks, tree branches, ice, etc.
The English Longbow is my favorite from the list… it definitely is my kind of weapon! — DAVID WARDLE
I think the English Longbow and Mongolian bow would require skill at least. Rather than giving someone a shot of something or a wild swing of a fist or a club.
The Katana or the Mongolian would have to be my favorite weapons from this list.
I thought that having dogs on the list was very interesting. When reading the title of this article I would have never thought of having dogs on this list.
Germ warfare is by far the scariest
Friendship is my favorite weapon!
I really like poison but at the same time u have to be sneaky not so much with a bow though
I was pleasantly surprised about the dogs being used as a form of weaponry. I was also kind of saddened that they were used to set off land mines. If i had to choose a weapon, I would probably choose the katana because of its sheer, sleek beauty.
Poison would be my choice.. Not too sure about the dogs.
look at the craftsmanship in the katana
The English long bow is definitely my favorite!!
I think poison is my favorite because it can be used in a variety of ways, such as putting it on the tip of an arrow or spear, or hiding it in somebodies food and using the time before they eat it to escape.
Out of everything on this list, I feel that poisons are what had the biggest effect. It is more of a hidden weapon that could be used in just about any way imaginable.
Germ and Biological warfare have always intrigued me. It is definitely a good thing that these have been banned from war because of being inhumane. Using dogs to fight is also interesting, but something I would never think of being right. Having dogs fight for you is sort of a cowardly thing to do.