Club (weapon)

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An assortment of club weapons from the Wujing Zongyao from left to right: flail, metal bat, double flail, truncheon, mace, barbed mace Wu Jing Zong Yao Wu 02.jpg
An assortment of club weapons from the Wujing Zongyao from left to right: flail, metal bat, double flail, truncheon, mace, barbed mace

A club (also known as a cudgel, baton, bludgeon, truncheon, cosh, nightstick, or impact weapon) is a short staff or stick, usually made of wood, wielded as a weapon [1] since prehistory. There are several examples of blunt-force trauma caused by clubs in the past, including at the site of Nataruk in Turkana, Kenya, described as the scene of a prehistoric conflict between bands of hunter-gatherers 10,000 years ago. [2]

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Most clubs are small enough to be swung with one hand, although larger clubs may require the use of two to be effective. Various specialized clubs are used in martial arts and other fields, including the law-enforcement baton. The military mace is a more sophisticated descendant of the club, typically made of metal and featuring a spiked, knobbed, or flanged head attached to a shaft.

Examples of cultural depictions of clubs may be found in mythology, where they are associated with strong figures such as Hercules or the Japanese oni, or in popular culture, where they are associated with primitive cultures, especially cavemen. Ceremonial maces may also be displayed as a symbol of governmental authority.

The wounds inflicted by a club are generally known as strike trauma or blunt-force trauma injuries.

Law enforcement

Truncheon, Yuan dynasty Chinese four sided truncheon - mace Tie Chi .jpg
Truncheon, Yuan dynasty

Police forces and their predecessors have traditionally favored the use, whenever possible, of less-lethal weapons than guns or blades. Until recent times, when alternatives such as tasers and capsicum spray became available, this category of policing weapon has generally been filled by some form of wooden club variously termed a truncheon, baton, nightstick, or lathi. Short, flexible clubs are also often used, especially by plainclothes officers who need to avoid notice. These are known colloquially as blackjacks, saps, or coshes.

Conversely, criminals have been known to arm themselves with an array of homemade or improvised clubs, generally of easily concealable sizes, or which can be explained as being carried for legitimate purposes (such as baseball bats).

In addition, Shaolin monks and members of other religious orders around the world have employed cudgels from time to time as defensive weapons.

Types

A Yuma war club Bulletin (1932) (20430590681).jpg
A Yuma war club

Though perhaps the simplest of all weapons, clubs come in many varieties, including:

Animal appendages

Some animals have limbs or appendages resembling clubs, such as:

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flail (weapon)</span> Weapon consisting of a striking head flexibly attached to a handle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baseball bat</span> Club used for baseball, or as a weapon

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singlestick</span> British martial art using a short wooden stick

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<i>Kanabō</i> Japanese weapon (war club)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stick-fighting</span> Type of martial arts using wooden sticks

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melee weapon</span> Weapon used in direct hand-to-hand combat

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<i>Ikkaku-ryū juttejutsu</i> Japanese Tradditional School

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<i>Tekkō</i> Japanese weaponized stirrups and horseshoes

The tekkō, are weaponized stirrups and horseshoes which originated in Okinawa, Japan, and they fall into the category of "fist-load weapons". By definition, a fist-load weapon increases the mass of the hand so that, given the physical proportionality between the fist's momentum and its mass, it increases the force the bearer can deliver. Some fist-load weapons may also serve, in the same manner, as the guard on a sword, to protect the structure of the bearer's hand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shillelagh</span> Wooden walking stick and club or cudgel

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rungu (weapon)</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baton (law enforcement)</span> Club of less than arms length

A baton is a roughly cylindrical club made of wood, rubber, plastic, or metal. It is carried as a compliance tool and defensive weapon by law-enforcement officers, correctional staff, security guards and military personnel. The name baton comes from the French bâton (stick), derived from Old French Baston, from Latin bastum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hōten-ryū</span> Japanese martial art founded in 1600 CE

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walking stick</span> Stick used to assist with walking

A walking stick or walking cane is a device used primarily to aid walking, provide postural stability or support, or assist in maintaining a good posture. Some designs also serve as a fashion accessory, or are used for self-defense.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Improvised weapon</span> Ordinary object used as a weapon

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gada (mace)</span> Blunt mace or club from India

The gada is a mallet or blunt mace from the Indian subcontinent. Made either of wood or metal, it consists essentially of a spherical head mounted on a shaft, with a spike on the top. Outside India, the gada was also adopted in Southeast Asia, where it is still used in silat. The weapon might have Indo-Iranian origins, as Old Persian also uses the word gadā to mean club; see for example the etymology of Pasargadae.

References

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  3. Image of clava cefalomorfa Archived 2014-03-14 at Wikiwix Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
  4. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Single-stick"  . Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 148–149.
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