Hundreds of 15th-18th century weapons discovered in Thang Long Imperial Citadel

(Dan Tri) - The unique set of weapons has a clear origin, dating from the 15th-18th century at Giang Vo Truong in the west of Thang Long - a place for martial arts training, teaching military tactics, and military exercises of the feudal court.

Giang Vo School is a large-scale military project considered the National Military Academy of the Le Dynasty, lasting for more than 3 centuries (from the 15th to the 18th century). In the photo is the An Nam map and the location of Giang Vo School.

The collection of weapons from Giang Vo school dating from the 15th to the 18th century has been recognized as a national treasure and is on display at the Hanoi Museum. These are weapons made from iron and hand-forged.

Through the royal scepter (also known as the owl's beak) carried by the guards when the king was escorted to Giang Vo school to review the soldiers' training.

The sickle was a popular weapon and was commonly equipped in the army during the Ly - Tran - Le dynasties. The lethality of the sickle was superior to other weapons with handles because it could stab, hook, and chop. It was also commonly called a hook or a counterattack.

The two-pronged spear has an arrow-like head and a long shaft at the end. It is thrown to hit enemies at long range. When it hits the target, the spearhead gets stuck inside.

Single-pronged spear 25-35cm long, with a handle and shaft. The spear has a lethal effect, quickly defeating the opponent.

Arrows are 6.5-85cm in size. Bows and crossbows are traditional long-range weapons popular in our nation's arsenal. During the feudal period, there were separate archery and crossbow shooting teams.

The spearhead is shaped like a pen nib, 16cm long. It is embossed with a ridge in the middle, gradually thinning out on both sides to form two sharp blades on either side.

Long sword (dãng Kiếm) and short sword (đán Kiếm). At Giảng Võ school, swords are used for training and exams, and are weapons to test and rank soldiers.

Hooks are used to throw, hook, yank, or drag an opponent on the ground. Hooks are also equipped by marines.

"Water chestnut spikes" are spread on the ground, the characteristic is that in any direction, one tip points up to the sky.

Swallow-shaped spikes.

Command gun cast in bronze, 35-45cm long. The gun is used to fire signal flares to command advance or retreat according to the color of the flare emitted.

Stone bullets with a diameter of 4-8cm were used for cannons. Bullets were found in large numbers in the Ngoc Khanh area, which was part of the ancient Giang Vo training ground. In folklore, there are still place names such as Ammunition Yard and Shooting Range.

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