A comparatively unresearched field comprising both infantry weapons and the shorter variety carried by horsemen through the centuries. There is currently, apart from the excellent Canadian Military Historical Society Journal pamphlet, no serious work on this subject, although there is much in the way of photographic material in old auction catalogues and museum guides. The real problem with polearms of the infantry variety is transport! These weapons effectively have to be collected, there being no shipping service for items sometimes measuring over 8'!

This ground find is a typical camp or belt axe of the type carried by archers in the fighting during the Hundred Years War. It would have been used for small jobs around the camp. In the Balkans, these axes have turned up as ground finds on the Kosovo battlefield, where they would probably have been used by both sides in a similar way.

This was made in Sheffield by Marples & Sons. It would have been a military issue axe to the RAF for use on an airfield or even a Royal Navy fire crew. The axe head has an issue date of 1931, whereas the leather frog is dated 1916 and maker marked R. Stafford.

This is a typical fighting axe of the type used in the Peasants' Revolt of 1525 by both sides, the Imperial troops and the Bundschuh peasants' movement. Even Martin Luther had to lend his support to suppress the revolt, which threatened the entire tranquility of the Rhineland, in particular, but also spread to Bavaria and Austria.

This is a nice example of a Birmingham export belt axe/tomahawk head, almost certainly cast steel with some rudimentary attempt at polishing the front end of the blade. These were typical of what settlers may have carried in the West (US) and also the Indians.

Excavated from a drain in York (UK) some 50 years ago, this fine piece is three inches high and appears to be of cast, or possibly wrought, iron construction. It may well be a captured Islamic piece brought back from the Crusades or purchased through trade with the East - rather than British. The design is clearly of Persian origin.

This is one of a small collection of Turkish spear heads, purchased near Marmaris several years ago. This piece has been cleaned and there is still some grey patina to it with extensive traces of old surface rust. The overall length is 36cms. The point is now squared off as a result of damage.