Khopesh

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Khopesh "xpS"
in hieroglyphs

Khopesh is the name given by the ancient Egyptians to a 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.

The khopesh appears to have been fashioned after a large hand sickle. 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 U shape'. There is some disagreement about which side of the blade carried an edge (if either). Most seem to believe the weapon was edged on the outer side of the blade; a reverse of the sickle. Made primarily out of bronze (occasionally iron) the doubt has been raised that such soft metals could construct an effective blade of such a length for hacking or slashing. Regardless of what it could or could not do, depictions in art and surviving examples show the khopesh was quite popular and often favored by the nobility.

Many feel that the Greek kopis is a direct derivative of this Egyptian sword, which would make it a direct ancestor of the wide variety of Europe and Asian backswords.

See also