Wyposażenie późnośredniowiecznych wojowników Wielkiego Stepu
Equipment of the late medieval warriors of the Great Steppe

Summary/Abstract: Military successes of the late medieval peoples of the Great Steppe, including the Mongols had many reasons. Of great importance were extraordinary skills of their leaders, great strategy and tactics, functional weaponry as well as easiness to adapt to various environments. Another key element was also the equipment taken on military expeditions. Information about it can be found is some medieval texts (e.g. Ystoria Mongolorum by Giovanni da Pian del Carpine and The Secret History of the Mongols). The remains of the equipment are currently discovered by archaeologists exploring the region of the Great Steppe. This article presents examples of some chosen tools: awls, adzes, hooks for lacing up armours, files, whetstones and firesteels. It lists camping equipment: yurts, cooking cauldrons and other cookware, as well as ropes and lines. The article mentions also leather containers for clothes, which also were used for getting across rivers. The number of tools taken along for expeditions depended on various factors, including wealth, scope of activities, type of the unit, as well as the size of the convoy. Written relations indicate that for example the Mongols had very sizeable trains of wagons. While undertaking the topic of military activities of old warriors of the Great Steppe one should not overlook the equipment they carried along for expeditions.

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