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The
mace is a version of the simple club and was used in cultures
throughout human history. Simple maces consist of a handle,
usually wooden, with a hard striking object socketed to the
top of the handle. By the middle ages, many European maces were
all
metal construction. Flanges, spikes, and similar pointed protrusions
were added to combat plate and mail armor. The force of a
blow, concentrated on the tip of a flange or spike, was very
effective at denting and piercing armor. The mace is almost
a family
of weapons unto itself; the flail, morningstar, holy water sprinkler,
and ball and chain are all variations of maces. The scepter,
a
form of mace, was extremely common through the ages as a ceremonial
weapon, symbolizing power and authority.
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