Brief Description:  The medieval mace was a devastating, close-combat bludgeoning weapon designed to defeat plate armor through concussive force. It consisted of a reinforced wooden or all-metal shaft topped with a heavy, stylized head—often featuring protruding flanges or spikes—that transferred massive kinetic energy directly to the target.

Design & Construction:

The Head: The primary striking element evolved from simple stone or bronze to iron and steel. Later maces, like the classic 15th-century Gothic variants, featured triangular metal "flanges" that concentrated the weapon's weight into a small surface area, allowing it to dent plate armor, shatter bones, and crush helmets without needing to actually slice through the steel.

The Shaft: Shafts ranged from short (12-24 inches) for one-handed use by mounted knights, to longer two-handed polearm lengths (up to 5 feet) for infantry. All-metal maces were prized for their near-indestructibility, frequently utilized when sword blades would break against heavy armor.