Medieval Weapon – The flail

The term "flail" is derived from the Latin word "flagellum" but its meaning translates as a whip or scourge as from the Vulgate. Flail in German is "flegel", Dutch it is "vlegel," and in French it is "fleu"–all terms refer to a hand used tool meant to thresh corn. The most common use of the term flail, however, is in reference to a battle weapon. The most common use of the term flail, however, is in reference to a battle weapon. The weapon originated from an early fighting technique that used a club. In Northern Europe, a flail was a threshing tool that was in widespread use and remained the primary way to thresh grain until 1860. In Japan, the tool had been around since antiquity and was most likely used along with a stripper–a large comb-like instrument with upright hard wood teeth. Once straw had been harvested, it was combed through starting at the bottom of the stalks so the tops were removed, the tops would later be threshed by a flail on the threshing floor. Read the rest of this entry »