A Long Bronze Age Tanged Spear From the Pre-History Era Of Achilles and Hector & The Legendary Tojan War
Another stunning spear from our ancient weapon collection acquired. Circa 1400 B.C. around 3,500 years old, with a fabulous natural aged patination and in a very sound and excellent condition for age indeed. This is a most handsome and beautiful ancient bronze tanged spear, Blade is double edged, with a flat central rib, and long tang. From one of the most fascinating eras in ancient world pre-history, the era of the so called Trojan Wars.
The ancient Greeks believed the Trojan War was a historical event that had taken place in the 13th or 12th century BC, and it is reasonably believed today that Troy was located in modern day Turkey near the Dardanelles, and the Granicus river where Alexander engaged in his first battle against the Persians around 1000 years later in 334bc.
In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta. The war is among the most important events in Greek mythology and was narrated in many works of Greek literature, including Homer's Iliad and the Odyssey . "The Iliad" relates a part of the last year of the siege of Troy, while the Odyssey describes the journey home of Odysseus, one of the Achaean leaders. Other parts of the war were told in a cycle of epic poems, which has only survived in fragments. Episodes from the war provided material for Greek tragedy and other works of Greek literature, and for Roman poets such as Virgil and Ovid.
The war originated from a quarrel between the goddesses Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite, after Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, gave them a golden apple, sometimes known as the Apple of Discord, marked "for the fairest". Zeus sent the goddesses to Paris, who judged that Aphrodite, as the "fairest", should receive the apple. In exchange, Aphrodite made Helen, the most beautiful of all women and wife of Menelaus, fall in love with Paris, who took her to Troy. Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and the brother of Helen's husband Menelaus, led an expedition of Achaean troops to Troy and besieged the city for ten years due to Paris' insult. After the deaths of many heroes, including the Achaeans Achilles and Ajax, and the Trojans Hector and Paris, the city fell to the ruse of the Trojan Horse. The Achaeans slaughtered the Trojans (except for some of the women and children whom they kept or sold as slaves) and desecrated the temples, thus earning the gods' wrath. Few of the Achaeans returned safely to their homes and many founded colonies in distant shores. The Romans later traced their origin to Aeneas, one of the Trojans, who was said to have led the surviving Trojans to modern day Italy.
This spear comes from that that great historical period, from the time of the birth of known recorded history, and the formation of great empires, the cradle of civilization, known as The Mycenaean Age, of 1600 BC to 1100 BC. Known as the Bronze Age, it started even centuries before the time of Herodotus, who was known throught the world as the father of history. Mycenae is an archaeological site in Greece from which the name Mycenaean Age is derived. The Mycenae site is located in the Peloponnese of Southern Greece. The remains of a Mycenaean palace were found at this site, accounting for its importance. Other notable sites during the Mycenaean Age include Athens, Thebes, Pylos and Tiryns.
According to Homer, the Mycenaean civilization is dedicated to King Agamemnon who led the Greeks in the Trojan War. The palace found at Mycenae matches Homer's description of Agamemnon's residence. The amount and quality of possessions found at the graves at the site provide an insight to the affluence and prosperity of the Mycenaean civilization. Prior to the Mycenaean's ascendancy in Greece, the Minoan culture was dominant. However, the Mycenaeans defeated the Minoans, acquiring the city of Troy in the process. In the greatest collections of the bronze age there are swords exactly. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art is the bronze sword of King Adad-nirari I, a unique example from the palace of one of the early kings of the period (14th-13th century BC) during which Assyria first began to play a prominent part in Mesopotamian history. Swords daggers and weapons from this era were made within the Persian bronze industry, which was also influenced by Mesopotamia. Luristan, near the western border of Persia, was the source of many bronzes, such as this piece, that have been dated from around 1500 BC and later, and include chariot or harness fittings, rein rings, elaborate horse bits, and various decorative rings, as well as regular weapons, personal ornaments, different types of cult objects, and a number of household vessels. It was a great trading centre for bronze age weaponry, and all manner of bronze trade goods, that were shipped and sold due to their popularity throughout the entire region from Persia to the Mediterranean and possibly beyond.
Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading 13.75 inches long. As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity. read more
1150.00 GBP
A Superb Ancient Chinese Warring States Period 480-222bc Gold & Bronze Chariot Crossbow Mount in Gold with Tiger Head Finial
Being bronze overlaid with gold, with a stunning tiger head finial, this is not the crossbow fitting of a mere officer, but likely of a young Chinese prince, or certainly a very high ranking noble in the chariot ranks of an army.
The history of the chariot and the development of the crossbow in ancient China are interrelated. The chariot is considered the world’s first war machine. As early as the Warring States period, the Chinese attempted to mount the crossbow on the chariot like a machine gun on a modern scout car. Excavation of ancient Chinese chariots has confirmed the descriptions of them in the earliest historical texts.
For the ancient Chinese philosopher, the chariot was the supreme symbol of success. It’s light weight and speed remained the wonder of ancient China. The effective commander was compared to the crossbow. Sun Tsu, in The Art of War, argued that the momentum of one really skilled in war is irresistible, because his overwhelming attack is precisely determined. His ability to strike exactly when required resembles a drawn crossbow, for he is quick as the release of the trigger.
The most significant advantage of the crossbow over the composite bow was the longer range. To be a cross bowman was an important military position in the Han period. However, it was not unusual for captive crossbowmen to be executed upon capture by the opposing army, such was the dread of the weapon and its power.
This exceptional example contains the decorative elements of a status symbol as well as the strength to be used as a deadly tool of war. The sensuous curves of the gilded handle taper into stylized dragon finials that were used to hold the taut bowstring in place. In our opinion, the style, craftsmanship and subject matter of this of gilded bronze crossbow handle indicate a Warring States dynastic date.
Fittings of this type have been excavated in pairs in association with chariots, and their function has long been a research topic of scholars. A pair of silver-inlaid bronze crossbow fittings were discovered from a Warring States tomb in Luoyang, Henan province, published in Luoyang Museum, 'The Chariot Pit Found at Chung-chou-lu', Kaogu , no . 3, 1974, p. 174, fig. 1. According to the archeological report, this pair of fittings were unearthed in front of the wooden shaft of a crossbow, near the left side of a chariot. Based on this finding, the report theorized that they were fitted to the front of a crossbow shaft to support the bow, and the upcurved terminals were meant to be the aiming mechanism. See a reconstruction drawing illustrated in Luoyang Museum, ibid., p. 177, fig. 7.
Other scholars have developed a different theory and propose that these fittings in fact functioned as crossbow supports on a chariot. Both fittings were attached horizontally to the front left panel of a chariot, adjacent to the occupants. The crossbow was placed facing down, with its bow resting on the curved shafts and its handle positioned obliquely upward, ready at hand for a quick draw.
The present fitting is notable for its bird-head terminal, which appears to be rare among extant examples. Related examples include: a silver-inlaid crossbow fitting, also with a bird-head terminal, in the Avery Brundage Collection, published in René-Yvon Lefebvre d'Argencé, Ancient Chinese Bronzes in the Avery Brundage Collection , Berkeley, 1966, pl. XLIX, fig. B. Compare also a pair of gold and silver-inlaid crossbow fittings, with a serpent-head terminal, included in the exhibition Chinese Art of the Warring States Period. Change and Continuity, 480-222 BC , Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1982, cat. no. 26; another pair published in Chinese Gold und Silver. Die Sammling Pierre Uldry, Rietberg Museum, Zürich, 1994, cat. no. 28a; a single fitting from the Ernest Erickson Foundation, read more
895.00 GBP
A Most Rare Bronze Age 'Celtic' Ring Dagger Knife Around 2500 Years Old. In Superb Excavated Condition.
A mid-European cast bronze knife. The blade is formed as a curved casting, thickening towards the outside of the curve, and with an edge to the inside. The handle has a depression on each side with a ring pommel typical of the ancient celts. It is particularly rare in that most Celtic ring knives found in the past 250 years have been Iron Age examples, certainly the ones we have had in the past 30 years have been so, thus this being bronze, although made in the Iron Age, makes it a most scarce knife.
From a collection of antiquities, swords daggers, and rings, that arrived , many pieces sold for the part benefit of the Westminster Abbey fund, and the Metropolitan Museum fund
the ancient Celtic tribes are far too often overlooked in favour of Romans and Vikings and Anglo-Saxons, their stories stripped away to Boudicca, the Iceni and failed revolt.
Yet the reality was rather more complex, with the ultimately victorious Romans deliberately misrepresenting the Celts as noble savages in order to provide a contrast with “the idea of Rome as a disciplined, ordered, civilising presence”. History might well be written by the victors
The Romans seem to have used the term “Celt” very similarly to how the Greeks used it. They applied the term to a large collection of tribes covering huge portions of western Europe. All the Gallic tribes — the tribes of Gaul — were called Celts by the Romans. We clearly see this in Julius Caesar’s De Bello Gallico (1.1):
“All Gaul is divided into three parts, one of which the Belgae inhabit, the Aquitani another, those who in their own language are called Celts, in ours Gauls, the third.”
But beyond just using the term “Celts” to refer to the Gallic tribes, other Roman writings show that they also used the term to refer to some of the inhabitants of Iberia. For example, Strabo (3.4.5) refers to Celts in that region who became the Celtiberians and the Berones. Many other tribes in Iberia were also considered to be Celtic. In other words, we see that the Romans considered the Celts to cover several large portions of Western Europe. This is consistent with Greek description of the Celts being the single most notable people to the west.
It is important to note that the material culture of the Celtiberians was very different from the material culture of the Gallic Celts. This being so, it is evident that archaeology cannot determine which nation was or was not Celtic. It is evidently not the style of artwork or design of houses or type of pottery that determines whether one is or is not a Celt. Regarding genetics, there does not appear to be any evidence of large-scale migration from Gaul to Iberia. Yet, that does not stop the Celts of Iberia from being considered Celts, either in ancient or modern sources.
On the other hand, the genetics of the population of England is known to be primarily made up of genes from the pre-Saxon inhabitants. Yet despite that, no one would call the English a “Brythonic” nation. So it does not seem very useful to use genetics as the main criterion for determining whether a nation was or was not Celtic.
Therefore, using language as the main basis for determining that ancient populations of Europe does seem to be the most useful method, even if it is not perfect. On this basis, it is very reasonable indeed to refer to the Britons as “Celts”.
Part of the proceeds of this piece were to benefit the Acquisition Fund of the Arms and Armor department, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Overall 11 inches long, blade 6 3/4 inches read more
875.00 GBP
An Original WW2 Battle of Britain and the Blitz Period British Police 'Messenger' Brodie Pattern Helmet
Following the defeat of France, Britain and the empire was all that was left to fight Germany.
To successfully invade Britain, Germany needed to control the skies over the English channel.
This led to the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940, followed by the targeted bombing of towns and cities during the Blitz.
The Blitz
The Luftwaffe decided to change their tactics from the Battle of Britain period and started targeting civilian targets and key landmarks instead of the RAF airfields. This was known as the Blitz.
Major British towns and cities were targeted from September 1940 to May 1941. The aim was now to try and force the British to surrender, rather than attempt to destroy the RAF.
Incendiary devices were used to start fires and light up targets on the ground, before bomber planes tried to target populated areas.
The Blitz caused huge loss of life. 40,000 civilians were killed and 2 million houses were damaged or destroyed.
The British Police during WW2
Their usual tasks included keeping the peace, dealing with criminals and making sure that the traffic flowed freely in towns and cities.
The Police also had new wartime duties. They had to make sure people obeyed the wartime blackout rules, help the rescue services during and after bombing raids and search for soldiers who had deserted from the army.
Looting was a big problem. The number of bombed properties provided a big temptation to looters. Many were given fines or short prison sentences.
Black market: Many items were sold on the black market without a ration card. If caught selling on the black market then the punishment could be a fine and imprisonment.
Murder rates increased dramatically during the war. Air raids killed so many people, it was often impossible for the police to investigate all deaths and criminals took advantage of this. {Pretty much like it is today}. Murder, however, still carried the death penalty.
Juliet Gardiner, the social historian and author of Wartime: Britain 1939-1945, says that, while most people found looting despicable, examples differentiated between stealing someone's property and spotting a wireless or jewellery lying on the pavement after an air raid and reckoning that, if you didn't take it, someone else would. "Looting can be a rather elastic term," says Gardiner. "There are stories about rescue parties going to a pub and having to dig for bodies, which is a very grisly task; one of the leaders of such a rescue party found a bottle of brandy and passed it round his men to have a swig to stiffen their sinews and he was actually sentenced to six months in prison. It was mitigated on appeal, but it gives you an idea of what a broad spectrum the notion of looting could cover."
In the archives of the Imperial War Museum in London, there are detailed records of people's experiences during the blitz. The Rev John Markham, vicar of a church near the Elephant and Castle and a chief fire warden, was one who kept a detailed log. He described how one "volunteer" warden had offered to join the team. "I made a few discreet inquiries and found out that he was a burglar and that his van was full of tools," wrote Markham, "and that he'd made a point of driving all over the borough, particularly to business premises when they were hit, and diving straight into the ruins to find the safe. His only concern with us was that he wanted the cover of a warden's badge as an identity card." Markham's team would take bodies to the crypt of his church and have them guarded by a warden because otherwise people might steal their wallets or wedding rings. read more
175.00 GBP
What A Fantastic Gift For A Sherlock Holmes Devotee! First Editions In Book Form. A Beautiful and Rare Set Of The Original 8 Book Bindings, 'The Strand Magazine', That Famously Contains the First Bound Volumes of Sherlock Holmes Adventures
The Strand Magazine July 1891 till Dec. 1893 bound in 8 Volumes } Vol. I to VIII}
First editions in bound book form . . the original stories were published as a monthly magazine in these Strand Magazines.
The first appearance of the 24 Sherlock Holmes adventures preceeding the first publishing of the books "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" and "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes" (according A10 and A14 Green/Gibson). Including many of the famous original illustrations of Sidney Paget which help form the popular image of Holmes. Also very interesting is the article in Vol. IV about the daily life of Dr. Doyle with photos of him, his wife and his home. Volume II (July - Dec. 1891) Adventure I. - A Scandal in Bohemia Adventure II. - The Red-Headed League Adventure III. - A Case of Idendity Adventure IV. - The Boscombe Valley Mystery Adventure V. - The Five Orange Pips Adventure VI. - The Man With The Twisted Lip Volume III (Jan.- June 1892) Adventure VII. - The Adventure Of The Blue Carbuncle Adventure VIII. - The Adventure Of The Speckled Band Adventure IX. - The Adventure Of The Engineer's Thumb Adventure X. - The Adventure Of The Noble Bachelor Adventure XI. - The Adventure Of The Beryl Coronet Adventure XII. - The Adventure Of The Copper Beeches Volume IV (July to Dec. 1892) Article 'A Day with Dr. Conan Doyle' with Photos of him, his wife, his house and his study Adventure XIII. - The Adventure Of Silver Blaze Volume V (Jan. to June 1893) Adventure XIV - The Adventure Of The Cardboard Box Adventure XV. - The Adventure Of The Yellow Face Adventure XVI. - The Adventure Of The Stockbroker'Clerk Adventure XVII. - The Adventure Of The "GLORIA SCOTT" Adventure XVIII. - The Adventure Of The Musgrave Ritual Adventure XIX. - The Adventure Of The Reigate Squire Volume VI (July to Dec. 1893) Adventure XX. - The Adventure Of The Crooked Man Adventure XXI. - The Adventure Of The Resident Patient Adventure XXII. - The Adventure Of The Greek Interpreter Adventure XXIII. - The Adventure Of The Naval Treaty Adventure XXIV. - The Adventure Of The Final Problem There are many other interesting factual articles in addition to fictional short stories and series of different authors in these books. One example: "Towards The North Pole" by Dr. Fridtjof Nansen.
Plus, Volume III contains the first publication of Rudyard Kipling's short story "The Lost Legion." Volume IV contains the first English translation of Jules Verne's short horror story "Frritt-Flacc" as "Dr. Trifulgas."
If one wanted experience and read of the Victorian way of life in England, this is by far the best way to uncover it. The Sherlock Holmes stories are just a fraction of what they contain. Hundreds of wonderful stories and details of exploration, by dozens of highly rated Victorian authors, thus, thousands of unrivalled hours of pleasure awaits the next owner/s of these incredible books.
Books are in very good condition. Some light wear The bindings are very nice and some areas of foxing on the paper. A very rare collectable set of the first appearance of these famous stories. Hard to find in this nice condition. All articles are richly illustrated.
"Outside of a dog, man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
— GROUCHO MARX read more
Another Fabulous Christmas Gift Idea. A Superb Pair of Regency Silhouette Portraits of a Scottish Lady and Gentleman, Possibly by George Atkins
Circa 1815 to 1830 British School. The gentleman is holding his fouling piece, and wearing a kilt. The lady is holding what appears to be her prayer book. Both silhouettes are hand cut black paper aplied to an off-white card backing, emphasized with gold shadow highlights. Original Regency rosewood frames. A silhouette is the image of a person, animal, object or scene represented as a solid shape of a single colour, usually black, with its edges matching the outline of the subject. The interior of a silhouette is featureless, and the silhouette is usually presented on a light background, usually white, or none at all. The more expensive versions could have a gold highlight such as these have. The silhouette differs from an outline, which depicts the edge of an object in a linear form, while a silhouette appears as a solid shape. Silhouette images may be created in any visual artistic media, but were first used to describe pieces of cut paper, which were then stuck to a backing in a contrasting colour, and often framed.
Cutting portraits, generally in profile, from black card became popular in the mid-18th century, though the term silhouette was seldom used until the early decades of the 19th century, and the tradition has continued under this name into the 21st century. They represented an effective alternative to the portrait miniature, and skilled specialist artists could cut a high-quality bust portrait, by far the most common style, in a matter of minutes, working purely by eye. Other artists, especially from about 1790, drew an outline on paper, then painted it in, which could be equally quick.
From its original graphic meaning, the term silhouette has been extended to describe the sight or representation of a person, object or scene that is backlit, and appears dark against a lighter background. Anything that appears this way, for example, a figure standing backlit in a doorway, may be described as "in silhouette". Because a silhouette emphasises the outline, the word has also been used in the fields of fashion and fitness to describe the shape of a person's body or the shape created by wearing clothing of a particular style or period. 10.5 x 12.5 inches framed. Picture in the gallery of a drawing a Silhouette by Johann Rudolph Schellenberg (1740?1806). Light staining to the gentlemans white backing paper. read more
595.00 GBP
What a Superb Antique Christmas Gift Idea. A Pair of Simply Delightful Original Victorian Royal Mail Coaching Prints in Fine Rosewood Veneer Frames
With their original and super old retailer's labels of the most distinguished Arthur Ackerman Gallery of Fine Arts, 191 Regent St. London, W. A charming pair of original Victorian coloured prints in fine quality frames. 6.75 inches x 8.75 inches framed In the 18th century travel was hazardous to all. Highwaymen stalked the roads and those leading into London were said to be ‘infested’ with robbers. Romantic tales of masked, gallant gentleman were far from the truth: highwaymen were ruthless and deadly.
On 4 December 1775, a Norwich stagecoach was attacked by a gang of seven highwaymen. The guard shot three robbers before being killed and the coach robbed. Richard ‘Dick’ Turpin, a famous highwayman of the time, was known to torture his victims and would even kill one of his companions to aid his own escape.
‘… recommending the Guarding of all the Horse Mails, as a measure of national importance to which the Public in some degree conceived themselves entitled…’
Francis Freeling, Resident Surveyor, 14th March 1796
A plan was written to guard all horse mails, which included the arming of all guards. In doing so the Post Office would not only secure the vast property conveyed by horse, but also save the expenses incurred in prosecuting a robber. Furthermore, it would maintain regularity of service and eliminate what was seen as a disgrace to both the Office and to the nation.
Surveyors observed that the revenue lost to robbery was twice the sum it would cost to guard the mail: it was the obvious choice. In 1784, John Palmer introduced the first mail coach from Bristol to London. This faster and well-armed postal service proved to be a great deterrent to robbers, as they risked being shot or, if caught, tried and hanged. The first recorded robbery of a mail coach did not occur until 25 July 1786.
A letter to joint Postmaster Generals asking for the establishment of a regional mail coach was signed by over 100 people, whose businesses had been damaged due to the frequency of robberies. Mail coaches were a better way of securing the post’s safe passage, though there are a few recorded instances of attempted robberies even of them.
In January 1816, an Enniskillen coach was attacked and robbed by a gang of 14 men who had barricaded the road. The guards fired off all of their ammunition but the mail bags and weapons were all stolen. the Mail Guard was issued with a a pair of flintlock pistols read more
375.00 GBP
A Very Good WW2 1942 German Infantry Fur Backed Tornistor Back-Pack
In very good condition overall, maker stamped and dated 1942 by Lunschloss. This cowhide-covered rucksack was known as the Tornister 34 (developed in 1934) and was later fitted with new style straps in 1939. As the war progressed the design was simplified for economical and practical reasons so the cowhide cover was eliminated making these packs especially scarce on today's collector market.
The M39 has one vertical loop with quick release sewn at the bottom of the front flap for retaining the A-frame and comes with or without carrying straps. Troops that were isssued infantry Y-straps received the version without carrying straps (replaced by two hooks), while troops with no Y-straps received the version with carrying straps.
All of them were produced with a fur front flap (and some without fur) and it was called "Affe" in the German Army read more
295.00 GBP
A Fine Edo Period 17th Cent. Samurai Armour Gosuko, Dangae dou Part Suit of Armour. Shown With A Kabuto For Display Only, {Kabuto Now Sold}
17th century body armour {kabuto helmet sold seperately} comprising full a cuirass {do}, of front and back plates, constructed of iron plates over lacquered and fully laced, and linked with chain mail.
Dangae dou (dō) meaning "step-changing" is a Japanese (samurai) chest armor that is a combination of two or more other styles. The main part of the dou (dō) may be an okegawa dou (dō), but the bottom two lames are laced (kebiki or sugake) instead of riveted or vice versa, or an armour is laced in sugake but the tateage and bottom lames are in kebiki.
Plus, steel chain mail and armour plate arm defences, inner lined with blue green material. The kabuto we show in photos 4 and 5, would compliment it beautifully, and for sale separately {code number 24030}.
During the Heian period (794-1185), the Japanese cuirass evolved into the more familiar style of armour worn by the samurai known as the dou or do. Japanese armour makers started to use leather (nerigawa) and lacquer was used to weather proof the armor parts. By the end of the Heian period the Japanese cuirass had arrived at the shape recognized as being distinctly samurai. Leather and or iron scales were used to construct samurai armours, with leather and eventually silk lace used to connect the individual scales (kozane) which these cuirasses were now being made from.
In the 16th century Japan began trading with Europe during what would become known as the Nanban trade. Samurai acquired European armour including the cuirass and comb morion which they modified and combined with domestic armour as it provided better protection from the newly introduced matchlock muskets known as Tanegashima. The introduction of the tanegashima by the Portuguese in 1543 changed the nature of warfare in Japan causing the Japanese armour makers to change the design of their armours from the centuries-old lamellar armours to plate armour constructed from iron and steel plates which was called tosei gusoku (new armours). Bullet resistant armours were developed called tameshi gusoku or (bullet tested) allowing samurai to continue wearing their armour despite the use of firearms. Please note the helmet is not with the armour. The silk lacing on the breast and back plate is 400 years old and very frayed throughout.
In Japan the term samurai evolved over several centuries
In Japanese, they are usually referred to as bushi (武士,) or buke (武家). According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning 'to wait upon', 'accompany persons' in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau. In both countries the terms were nominalized to mean 'those who serve in close attendance to the nobility', the Japanese term saburai being the nominal form of the verb." According to Wilson, an early reference to the word samurai appears in the Kokin Wakashū (905–914), the first imperial anthology of poems, completed in the first part of the 10th century.
Originally, the word samurai referred to anyone who served the emperor, the imperial family, or the imperial court nobility, even in a non-military capacity.It was not until the 17th century that the term gradually became a title for military servants of warrior families, so that, according to Michael Wert, "a warrior of elite stature in pre-seventeenth-century Japan would have been insulted to be called a 'samurai'".
In modern usage, bushi is often used as a synonym for samurai read more
2850.00 GBP