IMC 2003: Sessions
Session 503: Power and Force: Weapons of Mass Destruction, I: Pre-Gunpowder Artillery
Tuesday 15 July 2003, 09.00-10.30
| Sponsor: | Middelaldercentret, Nykøbing |
|---|---|
| Organiser: | Peter Vemming, Middelaldercentret, Nykøbing Falster |
| Moderator/Chair: | Kay Smith, Independent Scholar, Leeds |
| Paper 503-a | Reconstructing a Medieval Ballista (Language: English) Index terms: Military History, Technology |
| Abstract | In the 1990s the Middelaldercentret in Denmark re-constructed a series of medieval trebuchets. The lessons they learned about their construction, use and effectiveness taught them a great deal about this early form of artillery. Similarly, they are now embarking on the reconstruction and test firing of a recently discovered 14th-century ballista from Germany. Speakers from the Middelaldercentret will present their work on these, and other, experimental reconstructions, and the implications it has on our understanding of pre-gunpowder weapons. |