Khopesh

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18th century BC Khopesh found in Shechem, Palestine; the blade is decorated with electrum inlays.

Khopesh ḫpš
in hieroglyphs

Khopesh (ḫpš) is the Egyptian name of the Canaanite "sickle-sword". Its origins can be traced back to third millennium Sumer. A typical khopesh has about 18 cm of hilt, with the blade extending some 40 cm from the hilt before curving into a slight crescent shape for another 15 to 30 cm.

The khopesh was initially used against the Egyptians in war, but as the kingdom of Egypt improved trade relations with other kingdoms, eventually it adopted the khopesh. It seemed to have been most popular during the New Kingdom under the united Egypt. Ramses II was the first pharaoh to have used the khopesh in warfare.

Surviving examples have a single-handed grip followed by a blade about three grip-lengths. The blade was straight at the base, but the lower 3/4 curved into a broad-bladed shallow curve. Surviving examples show that, unlike a sickle, the weapon was edged on the outer side of the curve.

The Greek kopis, itself the ancestor of the historical varieties of backswords, may be a direct derivative of the khopesh.

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