Key Pages:
13 Things 2008
Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology
Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology & the Ancient World
Brown University
Box 1837 / 60 George Street
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: (401) 863-3188
Fax: (401) 863-9423
[email protected]
How has the trebuchet permeated our modern society? Rendered militarily obsolete by the advent of gunpowder over 500 years ago, how did this ancient siege weapon survive its would-be extinction, remaining a part of the western culture? Below are examples of trebuchets in their present form, drawing a global appeal, but the question remains: why?
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Not really sure what's going on here, but undoubtedly a testament to the accuracy of the machine.
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Hew Kennedy, "Rich English Guy" shows his passion for retro-engineering
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Here, a trebuchet launches another flaming piano, this time in the name of art
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Finally, a reconstruction using the latest technology, which is seemingly inferior to the original design
Why has the trebuchet remained a part of the global material culture? I will attempt to answer this question in three parts. First, I will provide a background on the machine itself: its origins, its evolution, and its practical uses and capabilities. Next, I will examine the impact of the trebuchet, primarily in city planning, fortifications, and warfare. Finally, having discussed the machine itself and its impact, I will document the spread of the trebuchet and consider its use as an early engine of globalization.
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