| Contrary to Hollywood portrayals, Highland | | | | its opposite side. The spear tip could |
| warriors did not fight with large two-handed | | | | penetrate chain armour, something a blade |
| swords, nor did they us the immense Lochaber | | | | would otherwise be fairly useless against. |
| Axe portrayed in museums and photographs | | | | Rarely seen in photographs and museum pieces, |
| today. Though making a wonderful cinematic | | | | this spear tip was a critical component of |
| experience, the facts bear little resemblance | | | | many designs, oft overlooked by historians. |
| to their movie-based counterparts. | | | | |
| | | | The blade edge, typically a crescent, 12 to |
| The Lochaber Axe was a weapon first used in | | | | 18 inches in length, was effective against |
| the late 16th Century, and which gained | | | | unarmoured troops, weak areas in an armoured |
| notoriety through famous battles such as the | | | | opponent, and for disabling horses, thus |
| Battle of Aldearn in 1645, Battle of Bothwell | | | | turning its rider into a foot soldier. In |
| Bridge in 1690, Battle of Dunbar in 1650, | | | | many incarnations of the Lochaber Axe, the |
| Battle of Inverlochy in 1645 and the Battle | | | | blade tip was very pointy, thus obviating the |
| of Kilsyth in 1645. Its name is a composite | | | | need for a spear tip on the opposite end. |
| of Lochaber, and axe. It was widely employed | | | | When not used against the horse itself, the |
| up until the advent of firearms. | | | | blade was effective at cutting and slashing |
| | | | the legs of the rider, rendering him |
| Lochaber, from the Gaelic Loch Abar, is a | | | | incapacitated. |
| region in the West Highlands of Scotland. The | | | | |
| large and rather sparsely populated region | | | | The hook backing to the blade had two |
| surrounds Fort William, and has been home to | | | | purposes. In the event of a siege, it could |
| various Highland Clans throughout the past | | | | be used to scale walls. However, its most |
| millennium. | | | | common employment was to dismount cavalry. As |
| | | | a rider approached, the Highlander would step |
| An axe, generally used for splitting wood, | | | | back, hook the rider, pull him off the mount, |
| cutting it, and further shaping it, is | | | | and once on the ground slice with the blade. |
| composed of a head and a handle, or helve. | | | | |
| Axes are often portrayed in and around tombs | | | | The shaft, incorrectly reported by many |
| and religious facilities, having special | | | | sources, was in fact not 7 or 8 feet in |
| significance in heraldry and religion. Axes | | | | length. As some historians have pointed out, |
| were originally used in farming and modified | | | | the weapon would have been to large and |
| in many ways to function as weapons, | | | | unwieldy to be effective in combat, |
| including some with two opposite cutting | | | | particularly when used by a man of 5 feet in |
| edges and others a single edge attached to | | | | height. Highlanders were not 7 feet tall, |
| long poles. | | | | resembling Conan, Goliath, or other |
| | | | gargantuan heroes. Instead, they were slight, |
| The Lochaber Axe was the primary weapon of | | | | quick, and hardy. The warriors needed a |
| Scottish Highlanders, particularly when | | | | weapon that could make use of their |
| facing cavalry. Knowing they were on foot, | | | | dexterity, and to do so it needed to fit |
| and would be in combat against armoured, | | | | their size. The average Lochaber Axe had a |
| mounted enemies, the Highlanders knew they | | | | shaft of 4 to 5.5 feet in length. |
| needed a weapon which could effectively | | | | |
| combat those three components. Clan warriors | | | | Any depiction of a Lochaber Axe having a 7 |
| needed a way to dismount a rider and be able | | | | foot shaft is either grossly incorrect or |
| to penetrate armour to defeat them. | | | | represents a ceremonial weapon, never |
| | | | intended for combat. The shaft itself was |
| The four key components of the Lochaber Axe | | | | typically made of ash or other durable wood |
| include the shaft, or helve, a fine pointed | | | | and the girth of a pitchfork, for easy grip |
| spear tip on one end, and a blade with hook | | | | and handling. |