Bollock dagger
Encyclopedia
The bollock dagger or ballock knife is a type of dagger
with a distinctively shaped shaft, with two oval swellings at the guard resembling male genitalia ("bollocks
"). The guard is often in one piece with the wooden grip, and reinforced on top with a shaped metal washer. The dagger was popular in Scandinavia, Flanders, England and Scotland between the 13th and 18th centuries, in particular the Tudor period
. In England the bollock dagger was commonly carried by many Border Reivers
, as a backup for the lance and the sword. A large number of such weapons were found aboard the wreck of the Mary Rose
. In use, the bollock dagger was similar to the Scottish dirk
.
In the Victorian period weapon historians introduced the term kidney dagger, due to the two lobes at the guard, which could also be seen as kidney-shaped, in order to avoid any sexual connotation. (Blair 1962).
The hilt was often constructed of box
root (dudgeon) in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the dagger was sometimes called dudgeon dagger or dudgeonhafted dagger in this period.
The bollock dagger is the source of the expression, to get, or give, a "bollocking", meaning to give or receive a severe chastisement.
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
with a distinctively shaped shaft, with two oval swellings at the guard resembling male genitalia ("bollocks
Bollocks
"Bollocks" is a word of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning "testicles". The word is often used figuratively in British English and Hiberno-English, as a noun to mean "nonsense", an expletive following a minor accident or misfortune, or an adjective to mean "poor quality" or "useless"...
"). The guard is often in one piece with the wooden grip, and reinforced on top with a shaped metal washer. The dagger was popular in Scandinavia, Flanders, England and Scotland between the 13th and 18th centuries, in particular the Tudor period
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
. In England the bollock dagger was commonly carried by many Border Reivers
Border Reivers
Border Reivers were raiders along the Anglo–Scottish border from the late 13th century to the beginning of the 17th century. Their ranks consisted of both Scottish and English families, and they raided the entire border country without regard to their victims' nationality...
, as a backup for the lance and the sword. A large number of such weapons were found aboard the wreck of the Mary Rose
Mary Rose
The Mary Rose was a carrack-type warship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. After serving for 33 years in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany and after being substantially rebuilt in 1536, she saw her last action on 1545. While leading the attack on the galleys of a...
. In use, the bollock dagger was similar to the Scottish dirk
Dirk
A dirk is a short thrusting dagger, sometimes a cut-down sword blade mounted on a dagger hilt rather than a knife blade. It was historically used as a personal weapon for officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail.-Etymology:...
.
In the Victorian period weapon historians introduced the term kidney dagger, due to the two lobes at the guard, which could also be seen as kidney-shaped, in order to avoid any sexual connotation. (Blair 1962).
The hilt was often constructed of box
Buxus
Buxus is a genus of about 70 species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box or boxwood ....
root (dudgeon) in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the dagger was sometimes called dudgeon dagger or dudgeonhafted dagger in this period.
The bollock dagger is the source of the expression, to get, or give, a "bollocking", meaning to give or receive a severe chastisement.
External links
- Spotlight: The Ballock Dagger (myArmoury.com article)
- Mary Rose Trust
- Interknife - picture of various bollock daggers