| Khopesh | |
|---|---|
18th century BC khopesh found in Shechem, West Bank; the blade is decorated with electrum inlays. |
|
| Type | Sword |
| Place of origin | Canaan |
| Service history | |
| In service | ca. 3rd millennium BCE - 1300 BCE |
| Used by | New Kingdom of Egypt |
| Wars | Battle of Kadesh |
| Specifications | |
| Length | avg. 50–60 cm (20–24 in) |
| Khopesh kh.p.sh in hieroglyphs |
|---|
Khopesh (ḫpš; also vocalized khepesh) is the Egyptian name of the Canaanite "sickle-sword", in Assyrian known as sappara. Its origins can be traced back to Sumer of the third millennium BCE.[1]
A typical khopesh is 50–60 cm (20 to 24 inches) in length, though smaller examples do also exist. This blade was designed for hooking an opponents shield or disarming them. These weapons changed from bronze to iron in the late period.
The blade is only sharpened on the outside portion of the curved end. The khopesh evolved from the epsilon or similar crescent shaped axes that were used in warfare.[2] Note, however, that the khopesh is not an axe. Unlike an axe, the khopesh did not make push-cuts, but rather slashes, like a sabre. The khopesh went out of use around 1300 BCE. However, in the 196 BC Rosetta Stone it is referenced as the 'sword' determinative in a hieroglyphic block, with the spelled letters of kh, p, and sh to say:
Various pharaohs are depicted with a khopesh, and some have been found in royal graves, such as the two examples found with Tutankhamun.
Although some examples are clearly sharpened, many examples have dull edges which apparently were never intended to be sharp. It may therefore be possible that some khopeshes found in high status graves were ceremonial variants.