Blog
Magical Arsenals
In honour of our exciting new replica weaponry collection - including famed pieces from Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and the Legend of Zelda - we thought the time was ripe for a spotlight on magical arsenals and the mighty menacing weapons found within them.
While the worlds of myth and legend are full of wonder and delight, they don't come without an element of danger, too. Most of our favourite epic heroes and heroines have a battle to face, and often that battle involves a weapon of some kind, be it a gleaming blade, formidable hammer or swift arrow.
Mythical weapons can become characters themselves - extensions of our favourite fantasy figures and symbols of their triumphs. We trade in ornamental weapons only here at Dragonspace - intended for collectors rather than fighters - but we love exploring the stories behind some of the famed weapons of mythical lore, the battles they've faced and the enemies they've felled.
Swords
Ah, the mighty sword. Along with magical wands, swords are perhaps the most recognisable fantasy weapons. One of Britain's greatest legends - King Arthur and his Camelot adventures - starts with the magnificent sword Excalibur. Excalibur is linked with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain, and when Arthur successfully pulls the sword from the stone, he claims his destined place on the throne. Also believed to have magical abilities, Excalibur is a symbol of destiny, greatness and unexpected power.
The importance of swords stretches further than Western myth, of course. Katanas were the elegant curved swords of the Japanese samurai, often featured in Japanese myths and stories. In a galaxy far far away, Jedis wield glowing lightsabers, and various swords serve as Link's primary weapon in the Legend of Zelda video games.
But swords don't always have to be big to be powerful. Just take a look at Sting, the Elvish-crafted sword owned by Bilbo and then Frodo in Tolkien's Middle-earth tales - a perfect fit for small but mighty hobbits, with the added bonus of glowing blue in the presence of orcs and goblins. Similar in size and power is Needle, in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series (a.k.a Game of Thrones), owned by Arya Stark - a thin yet effective weapon. The beauty of swords is that they suit their wielders, a true companion moreso than a just a weapon.
Bows and Arrows
For those with a keen eye and elegant precision, a bow and arrow is the weapon of choice. Capable of felling foes from a distance, famous fantasy archers are known for being graceful and on-point, though just as dangerous as their sword-wielding friends.
Continuing with our Tolkien homage, one of literature's most famed archers is Legolas Greenleaf the Elf, whose skills with a bow and arrow befit his elegant elfin strength. Then there's Robin Hood of forest lore, the hero who stole from the rich and gave to the poor, and traditionally shot with a longbow. In more recent times, we have Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games trilogy, whose lethal archery abilities came from her hunting survival skills and turned into a symbol for the 'small' rising up from a far distance to defeat the 'big'. In superhero legend, Hawkeye and the Green Arrow are formidable archers, and let's not forget Cupid, the classical god of desire and love who shoots destined lovers with magical arrows.
Axes and Hammers
Doubling as both tools and weapons, axes and hammers are valuable assets to any mythical arsenal. In many high fantasy worlds, the 'dwarf' figures - sturdy mountain-dwellers - often wield axes. These weapons are not only powerful in combat, but relevant to the dwarf's background as a labourer and miner. An axe can hack into mountainsides for precious jewels just as well as they can cut down an enemy in battle.
In Norse mythology, dwarves also forged perhaps the world's most recognisable hammer - Mjölnir, most commonly known as Thor's hammer. Thor's hammer is believed to never fail in battle, and to never miss its mark when thrown. It was also said that only Thor could pick Mjölnir up, perhaps inspiring the King Arthur and Excalibur legend. The hammer is now a popular symbol in Norse lore, symbolising power and strength, and is often featured in jewelry and decor. The Finnish thunder god Ukko also had a hammer named Ukonvasara, with which he created lightning.
Spears and Tridents
Halfway between the sword and the arrow we have the spear - a large pointed weapon used in both close combat and at a distance. Soldiers of Ancient Rome favoured spears known as 'pilums', a javelin of roughly two metres long with a wooden handle and pointed tip. In other myths and legends, figures such as Karthikeya (the Hindu god of war), Lugh (the Irish warrior hero) and Honda Tadakatsu (the Japanese samurai) wielded powerful spears.
Similar to the spear is the trident, a sharp three-pronged staff associated with the gods of the sea - Poseidon in Greek mythology, and Neptune in Roman. In the old stories, these tridents are magical weapons that can create water and live animals from nothing, strike resistant surfaces, and ward off foes. The three-pronged element is said to represent the three properties of water: liquidity, fecundity and drinkability.
Armour
And now that we've covered the offensive, what about the defensive? Well-crafted armour is a staple of many famous fantasy figures' trademark costumes, and is responsible for saving their lives so that they go on to brave further adventures! From Zeus's famous shield Aegis, to Harry Potter's Invisibility Cloak, Beowulf's mail shirt to Thor's iron gloves, Bilbo's mithril chainmail to Skyrim helmets, protective gear is often just as impressive as a clanging sword or whizzing arrow.
Full suits of armour are icons in themselves, often adorning old buildings and preserved castles in modern-day for a medieval feel. In fact, much of our fantasy armour and weaponry owes a great debt to the real-life craftsmanship of medieval times, an era that fantasy writers and artists pull much inspiration from.
If you're now excited to start your own magical arsenal (ornamental only!), then check out our stunning sword collection, as well as our other fantasy-related giftware that evokes images of daring quests and brave battles. We hope the mythical and historical symbolism alone provides you with power and inspiration!
Other related products:
A Dragonspace Bestiary I
It's impossible to venture into the world of myth and fantasy without encountering creatures that you wouldn’t find in a regular zoo. Our little shoppe obviously gets its name from one of the greatest - the fantastic fearsome dragon, of course.
From selkies to basilisks, centaurs to fairies, elves, unicorns and everything in between, it’s interesting to note that even the weirdest of magical creatures seem to have at least one toe (or horn, or wing), dipped in reality. Mythical creatures tend to be hybrids or marvellous mutations of real-life animals, which explains how they came to be a staple part of our stories, and still persist in our imaginations - and sometimes realities - today.
Anyone who’s visited Dragonspace knows that it’s crawling with beasts and beings from various mythologies. Here’s a select bestiary that takes a look at some of our favourites, and how they mightn’t be as far ‘out of this world’ as you’d first imagine.
The Dragon
You can find all the various ‘pieces’ of the dragon persona in the real-life animal kingdom. The reptilian body is akin to snakes and crocodiles; the talons and wings similar to birds of prey; the scales reminiscent of great fish; and the fire-breathing capabilities perhaps derived from the salamander, which was said to be resistant to flames. And of course, dinosaurs must be taken into account. These prehistoric giant beasts dominated the earth, skies and waters much like the dragons of various lores do.
Be they fearsome or benevolent, dragons usually hold a strong tie to the elements: earth, wind, water and fire; suitably represented in the animal connections above. It’s no wonder dragons are symbols of power and wisdom - they're an unrivalled conglomerate of all the greatest animal parts.
The Fairy
Over time, the fairy image has been reduced to miniature women with glittery wings having tea parties with fawns in the forest. We love this kind of fairy too, but to understand the fairy’s connection to the human world, we must travel back to ancient Britain and Ireland.
In Irish mythology, the great prehistoric race of the Tuatha Dé Danann - kings and queens of ancient times - were driven underground to become what modern Ireland now knows as ‘the good people” or the fairy folk. In Celtic spirituality, deities and goddesses with a deep link to nature are often associated with the faerie realm. Fairies have also been connected with the world of the dead, and of angels.
It could be said that fairies represent heightened versions of humans, with a deeper connection to the earth, heavens and the spiritual world. They’re our bridge to realms we can’t access alone. Perhaps that’s why they have wings, and why the leprechaun’s pot o’ gold is at the end of the rainbow - a place we never quite manage to reach.
The Unicorn
Of all the magical creatures, the unicorn’s history is perhaps the most strongly steeped in reality. Greek writers of natural history were convinced the unicorn was a real beast from the distant land of India. Their conviction isn’t too ridiculous - after all, unicorns, in appearance, are simply horses with single horns (like the rhinoceros or the narwhal). The creature's strong elegant features also resemble real creatures such as the oryx, the goat, and the eland.
The elusiveness of the unicorn has come to be part of the mythology itself. Unicorns are considered mysterious woodland creatures that can only be captured and tamed by a ‘virgin’. Not to be taken too literally, this belief perpetuates the idea of the unicorn as pure and graceful. The Scottish interpreted the unicorn’s evasiveness as a strength, and adopted it as their national symbol because of this; just like the mythical beast, Scotland was also unconquerable. These days, the word ‘unicorn’ is often used to describe something singular, precious and hard to find.
The Mermaid and the Selkie
We’ll consider these two maidens of the sea together, as their mythologies are closely entwined. The mermaid - or merman - is a true hybrid, being human on top and fish on the bottom. Interestingly, merpeople tales exist in cultures all over the world, including Europe, Africa and Asia. Their lore is often connected to maritime adventures and recounts of sailors, so might have been inspired by sightings of manatees or seals by travel-weary explorers on the sea. And given that most sailors were men, this explains why mermaids are often considered beautiful female seductresses! (similar to the Sirens of Greek mythology)
In contrast, selkies morph - they live in the sea as seals, but shed their skin to become human on land. Like the mermaid, selkies are often featured in tales of romance, seduction and tragedy. In fact, the most well-known mermaid story - Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ - closely resembles selkie lore. The invention of selkies and mermaids could represent the human fascination with the ocean and its symbolism of adventure and the exotic.
The Phoenix
In classic appearance, the phoenix most closely resembles something we might encounter in the real world - a bird, albeit a magnificent a one. It’s the phoenix’s ability to resurrect itself from death that make it a staple of mythical lore.
The phoenix has a close relationship to fire. Many depictions of the phoenix have it dying in a burst of flames and being born again from the ashes. In medieval art, the phoenix was often painted with a halo or golden plumage, linking it to the sun. In this way, the regeneration of the phoenix can be connected to the solar cycle and the passing of day into night and back again. So the phoenix’s closest real-life relative could be the rooster - a magnificently plumed bird, whose crow heralds the coming of dawn, and the sun’s “flames” illuminating the sky.
All good myths and folk tales have their roots in fact, which is why we find them so fascinating. We like to think that Dragonspace is a place where worlds overlap; a bridge between the magical and the mundane. Fantastic beasts are a big part of that, and the above are just a small selection of the colourful characters you’ll find behind our doors. Take a look at the companions you can bring into your own mythical menagerie here, in our dragon, fairy and woodland collections.