Preserving Peace: Weapons
About the exhibition
Among the oldest weapons of mankind are slings. They are easy to make, easy to carry and the ammunition can be found everywhere. Shepherds continue to use them today to lead their herds and fend off wild animals.
Persian, Greek and Roman armies had specialized slingers who not only used stones as ammunition, but also lead bullets or even fire bombs. In the ancient Mesopotamian warfare, standardized bullets made of clay were used, as this excavation find shows (No. 500).
The range of slingshots is determined by the fabric of the sling and the material of the bullets. It is assumed that an experienced slinger can hit his target precisely at a distance up to 100-150 m. But the modern world-record is 437 m with a 52g stone!
Almost as old as slings, bows and arrows date back to at least 15000 BC, if not before. The small stone arrowhead from Tall Zaidan (No. 785) is a testament to the use of bows and arrows long before the invention of metal weapons.
Bronze knifes or daggers were valuable possessions and were often buried with their owners.
