The Mace

The mace is a version of the simple club and was used in cultures throughout human history. Simple maces consist of a handle, usually wooden, with a hard striking object socketed to the top of the handle. By the middle ages, many European maces were all metal construction. Flanges, spikes, and similar pointed protrusions were added to combat plate and mail armor. The force of a blow, concentrated on the tip of a flange or spike, was very effective at denting and piercing armor. The mace is almost a family of weapons unto itself; the flail, morningstar, holy water sprinkler, and ball and chain are all variations of maces. The scepter, a form of mace, was extremely common through the ages as a ceremonial weapon, symbolizing power and authority. Pictured here are various styles of flanged maces; a simple mace would just be a ball atop the haft.