Original Item: One of a Kind. The horseman's pick was a weapon of Middle Eastern origin used by cavalry during the Middle Ages in Europe and the Middle East. This was a type of war hammer that had a very long spike on the reverse of the hammer head. Usually, this spike was slightly curved downwards, much like a miner's pickaxe. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with war hammer. A metal-made horseman's pick called a "Nadziak" was one of the main weapons of the famous Polish Winged Hussars. A use of the horseman's pick was to tear men from their mounts.

The horseman's pick was often used as a means to penetrate thick plate armor or mail which the standard sword could not. However, a number of drawbacks limited the weapon's effectiveness. Its relative heaviness made it unwieldy and, thus, easily avoided. The injury caused by the weapon was also small and rarely immediately fatal. Additionally, if swung too hard, the weapon often became embedded in the victim or their armor, making retrieval difficult.

This is a wonderful example of a 16th Century "Nadziak" horseman's pick, recently excavated from a site in the Ukraine. As expected, it shows quite a bit of rust damage, however the original quality can still be seen. There are even small copper or bronze adornments where the hammerhead and pick meet the main socket of the head. It measures approximately 6 inches in length.

It comes complete with a very nice wooden display stand, which has a brass plaque reading:

A wonderful display piece, ready to add to your collection!