Bardiche (Pole Axe)

1500s

Bardiche (Pole Axe), 1500s. Germany or Russia, 16th century. Steel, leather, brass; wood haft; overall: 178.5 cm (70 1/4 in.); blade: 14.2 cm (5 9/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1563 A bardiche is a type of polearm that was used from the 1300s to the 1600s in Europe. Although similar to a halberd it does not have the hook. The shape of the blade can vary but the defining feature is that one end is fastened to the wooden shaft. Hung high on the wall of the Armor Court, this weapon of war, standing almost six feet tall, was sure to intimidate any approaching soldier.