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Metal projectile points were the earliest non-native made weapons to enter the Plains and would likely have caused significant changes in Protohistoric period warfare. Despite this there has been little effort to identify and study these artifacts in Plains rock art, even though it is almost our only archaeological record of warfare from this period. Recent research at Bear Gulch and Atherton Canyon, located in central Montana, has identified a number of metal projectile points used by shield bearing warriors. Described and discussed along with about 30 other examples from rock art sites across the region, these points provide significant insight into the introduction and earliest use of metal tools on the Plains. Keywords: projectile points, rock art, Protohistoric period

MAGIC IS A VERSATILE LITERARY MOTIF in the Islendingasogur, which authors had at their disposal to use in a wide range of settings whether at the splendid Norwegian court, an [...]

Weapons are a central, and in certain passages, a dominant feature on the symbolic terrain of Beowulf: Not only do we find weapons being wielded in battle by the heroes [...]

Images of women and of sex occur with great frequency in military folk rhymes. Women and weapons often symbolize the other and success in battle is often expressed in the same words as success with women. Using this symbolic equation between male sexuality and battle allows the military to turn a man's self-image into that of a soldier and also gives the recruit reasons to do battle. Putting battle into folkloric rhymes makes war less horrible. Sex is necessary for procreation and if sex symbolizes war, war must be necessary as well. The main function of sexual symbols in the military is thus to bolster the idea of the military as powerful.

The 14th-century text 'Castleford's Chronicle' refers to 'bipen' several times, with contextual evidence suggesting this term refers to some type of weapon. Possibilities include a curved broad sword, a two-bladed axe, and a thrown weapon.