A photo essay examining the design, construction, and uses of hand weapons and armor from a Stone Age axe to the revolvers and rifles of the Wild West. An eye grabber: large, clear photographic layouts of weapons share pages with explanatory text and definitive illustrations. Each double spread covers a subject, from primitive weapons to the 'Guns That Won the West'; it's easy to forget their function in the beauty of the pieces and their clever designs. The weapons from the Middle Ages are breathtaking simply as art.

Includes index.