Object used for ceremonial purposes to display power or authority.
Polish Army major presenting his sabre in salute.
A ceremonial weapon is an object used for ceremonial purposes to display power or authority. They are often used in parades and as part of dress uniforms.[1][2]
Although they are descended from weapons used in actual combat, they are not normally used as such. Their form and, especially, their finishing and decoration are typically designed to show status and power and to be an impressive sight, rather than for practicality as a weapon. Quite often, ceremonial weapons are constructed with precious metals or other materials that make them too delicate for combat use. With ceremonial swords, an example of this is that the sword may be poorly balanced. Historically, however, many ceremonial weapons were also capable of actual combat, most notably in the military.
Maces, halberds, daggers, and swords are the most common form of ceremonial weapons, but in theory almost any weapon can become ceremonial. The Sergeant at Arms in some parliaments carries a ceremonial mace. The Swiss Guard in the Vatican carry both ceremonial weapons (halberds and swords) and 21st century weapons (semi-automatic pistols). Mid-20th century rifles such as the American M14 and the Russian SKS, fitted with polished wood stocks, chrome plating and other decorative finishes, are common ceremonial weapons for honor guard units.
Another example is the use of a firearm to signal the start of a race. Guns are also used in celebratory gunfire.
A ceremonialweapon is an object used for ceremonial purposes to display power or authority. They are often used in parades and as part of dress uniforms...
original mace used as a weapon. Processions often feature maces, as on parliamentary or formal academic occasions. Ceremonial maces originated in the...
Investiture of the Prince of Wales were termed Green Staff Officers. CeremonialweaponCeremonial mace Wand of office Meakin, Tony (2001). A Basic Church Dictionary...
Ceremonial maces in the United Kingdom began as lethal weapons of medieval knights in England, Scotland, and Wales, evolving into ceremonial objects carried...
in line on top of a pole, but were generally thought as ceremonial polearms. Though the weapon saw frequent use in ancient China, the use of the dagger-axe...
in Europe up to the 15th century. It was still seen in court as a ceremonialweapon through the 17th century. Often thought to be a derivation of the...
Group. ISBN 978-0-313-32270-9. Massafra, Angela (2011). "Some curved ceremonialweapons of the II millennium B.C. in the National Museum of Beirut" (PDF)...
"Highland dirk", Scottish Gaelic: biodag), as a symbolic traditional and ceremonialweapon of the Highland Cathairean (cateran or warrior), is worn by officers...
rifles, accurized competition weapons, and ceremonialweapons by honor guards, color guards, drill teams, and ceremonial guards. Civilian semiautomatic...
construction Ceremonial dance – Major category of dance forms Ceremonial magic – Variety of rituals of magic Ceremonialweapon – Object used for ceremonial purposes...
millennia to shape, split, and cut wood, to harvest timber, as a weapon, and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has many forms and specialised uses...
Weapons of Honour (French: Armes d'honneur) are ceremonialweapons awarded for service or assistance to France. Swords of honour were awarded during the...
the late 1920s and early 1930s that this historic weapon was finally discarded for all but ceremonial purposes by most remaining horse mounted regiments...
regularized the awards to Kamenev and Shorin, integrating the previous ceremonialweapon presentations into the new system. The next group of awards came in...
Ceremonial dance is a major category or classification of dance forms or dance styles, where the purpose is ceremonial or ritualistic. It is related to...
In Norse mythology, Gambanteinn (Old Norse gambanteinn 'magic wand') appears in two poems in the Poetic Edda. It only appears in Hárbarðsljóð and Skírnismál...
of Ascension ritual. Similar to the d'k tahg, the kut'luch is "the ceremonialweapon of an assassin". A kut'luch is designed to do considerable damage...
Issued to the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Still used by the JSDF as a ceremonialweapon. South Korea: The first rifles were provided to the Korean police...
spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, carbine, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon. The...
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