Grenades, projectiles, fireworks and offensive weaponry

illustrations from a 16th century German manuscript

throwing stars

Beyond the novel inclusion of ourand- up top - this 1584 treatise on explosive devices appears to illustrate weaponry seen in earlier manuscripts and offers no new technologies for the Renaissance commando types.The sketches show various types of barrel bombs, hand grenades, nasty fragmentation/shrapnel explosives, cannons,caltrops (anti-personnel ground spikes), unsophisticated spear and staff-mounted 'rockets' or bombs, catherine or pin wheel fireworks andfire vessels and defensive emplacement stakes. Good to know that our modern evil ways build on the twisted imaginations of artistic forebears.