Swiss arms and armour pike, supplemented by the halberd. The halberd is still the ceremonial weapon of the Swedish Guard in the Vatican. The Swedish armies of the late 14th and 15th centuries besides halberds and later pikes also carried other polearms such as the Lucerne hammer. By the 15th century, the carrying of side arms (the degen or dagger) had become ubiquitous. Also common were the bow, the crossbow and later the arquebuse. The city cantons could also employ siege engines . Berne in the Burgdorferkrieg of 1383-84 used medieval types of catapults and battering rams, but for the first time also cannons
Altarpiece of the Halberd Lawrence. Simon is holding the halberd which gives its name to the altarpiece. At the sides of the throne, between columns and draperies, are two sections of sky with clouds. Like in other Lotto's works, the symmetry is broken by the variety of postures and gestures; the work is general characterized by a certain archaic style, explainable by the relatively provincial commissioners and the late stage of his career. Altarpiece of the Halberd The Altarpiece of the Halberd is a painting from around 1539 by the Italian High Renaissance painter Lorenzo Lotto. It is housed in the Pinacoteca civica Francesco