Card/Transcription No.: 582-2

Note

Upon the Ancient Egyptian Single-Stick.
(See Nos. 582 and 619.)

A slender round stick, ranging from 60 to 95 cms. long, thicker
at one end than the other, and used apparently as a weapon of
attack and defence. In contradistinction to the modern form of
single-stick the thicker end of the ancient Egyptian weapon
formed the point-end, ferruled with metal, and the thinner end
the handle. Protection for the hand was furnished by a leather
'guard', somewhat like the 'basket-hilt', made rigid by means of
wire and adorned in some cases with open gold-work ornament (see
619, A to D). The handle or 'grip' of the single-stick was packed
with leather bound with string in order to insulate and prevent
the passage of repercussion passing to the hand (see 582, C).
From scenes upon the monuments depicting a king of 'cudgel-play'
or 'single-sticking', guards, cuts and parries appear to have
formed at least part of the play, but a short stick bound to the
left forearm was also used to ward off strokes not parried with
the single-stick and which obviously served as a shield to ward
off the adversary's blows.