13 Ancient Egyptian Weapons: From Khopeshes to Chariots

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Discover the blades, bows, & tools that made Egypt powerful

Co-authored by Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: March 30, 2026 Fact Checked

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Egyptian Weapon Types

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What were they made of?

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Egyptian Military History

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Egyptian Military Structure

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The ancient Egyptians didn't dominate northeastern Africa for centuries by twiddling their thumbs! Not only were they brilliant inventors and strategists, but their weapons were some of the most dangerous (and creative) of their time. Keep reading and be awed by 13 exciting Egyptian weapons from the Early Dynastic Period to the New Kingdom era! We'll also cover what Egyptian weapons were made of, a brief history of the Egyptian military, and how their army was structured. Let's go!

What are some ancient Egyptian weapons?

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An illustration of 13 different ancient Egyptian weapons.

Ancient Egyptian warriors used many different weapons, which they modified over the centuries as they discovered new technologies. For example, after they learned metallurgy, they changed their simple spear tips from wood to copper or bronze. Below are other weapons that an Egyptian soldier might have carried:

Bow: A long, slightly curved bow, which was later changed to a composite "W" shaped bow
Sling: A length of linen cord attached to a linen sack that soldiers used to throw stones
Khopesh: A distinctive sword with a curved, sickle-like blade
Epsilon axe: A slicing battle axe with a crescent blade bound to the handle in 3 places
Duckbill axe: A hacking axe with a duckbill-shaped blade attached to the handle via a socket

Section 1 of 4:

Weapons of Ancient Egypt

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Spear The Egyptian spear was a simple stick with a sharp wood, flint, or copper point. In Egypt's earliest days, they carved the sharp points of their spears out of the same wood as the long handle. Gradually, Egyptians switched to flint points, then copper points. No matter what kind of point it had, however, the spear was usually only used by lowly infantrymen, also known as foot soldiers.^{[1]
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- Did you know? Egyptian soldiers didn't wear much, if any, armor until the New Kingdom period (1549 BC-1069 BC)! Before then, most of them only wore textile bands that crossed over their torsos, which wasn't much protection against sharp blades. In the New Kingdom period, hired Egyptian mercenaries started wearing leather and metal armor. But it's not clear if the regular soldiers had access to these protections.^{[2]
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Early Egyptians used long, simple self-bows that weren't very dangerous. The earliest version of the bow used by Egyptians was 39.4-78.7 in (1-2 m) long with barely any curve. It was made of wood only, and it wasn't very precise or effective.^{[3]
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During the New Kingdom period, the Egyptians adopted a new bow design from an enemy called the Hyksos: a composite bow with a "W" shape. This bow was shorter than the old one, and it was called "composite" because it was made of more than one material (wood, animal horn, and sinew). Not only did its unique composition make it stronger, but its distinctive shape gave Egyptian archers more range and accuracy!^{[4]
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Throwing stick Throwing sticks were made of wood and slightly curved, with a bulbous protrusion on one end. The Egyptians threw them at birds and animals while hunting, but they could also do a lot of damage to a human. Some experts speculate they may also have been used in sports or religious rituals. A few were found buried with King Tutankhamun in his tomb!^{[5]
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- Did you know? The throwing stick is similar to the Aboriginal boomerang from Australia. It even flies parallel to the ground when thrown, just like a boomerang!
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SlingThe sling is an ancient, often overlooked weapon that seems to have been popular all over the ancient world! The sack on most slings was just large enough to hold a small stone. Egyptian soldiers may have carried slings as part of their gear, but it was also a top choice of weaponry for shepherds and hunters.^{[6]
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Research source} If a soldier flung a stone hard enough toward their enemy with their sling, they could deal a lot of damage!
- In Egypt, archaeologists discovered a sling consisting of a linen cord attached to a linen sack in the tomb of a pharaoh named Tutankhamun (AKA the Boy King). Tutankhamun died in 1325 BC, so experts conclude that Egyptians used slings at least that far back.
- Remember the Biblical story of David and Goliath? David, a young Hebrew shepherd, slew the giant Goliath using only river stones and his simple sling (1 Samuel 17)!
- Follow our wikiHow tutorial to make King Tut's iconic mask!
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Khopesh The curved sword blade was around long before the Egyptians, but no one perfected it quite like they did. Their khopesh was 29.4 in (75 cm) long from hilt to blade tip. The blade's curve made it easy for its wielder to disarm their enemy and even remove parts of their armor! After that, all they had to do was slash them with the khopesh's razor-sharp edge to finish them off.^{[7]
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- Not only did Egyptians fight with khopeshes on the battlefield, but historians believe that pharaohs also used them in ceremonies and religious rituals.
Another innovation that the Egyptians adopted from the Hyksos was a long dagger blade cast in one piece with the tang. The tang is the part of the blade encased by the hilt. It makes for a much more stable weapon than simply attaching the blade to the top of the hilt! Rather than keeping it as a dagger, the Egyptians lengthened it slightly and wielded it as a short sword.^{[8]
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The battle axe most favored by the Egyptians had a rounded or crescent-shaped blade bound to the top of a stick with 3 metal tabs called tangs. It was called the Epsilon axe for its resemblance to the Greek letter epsilon (Є).^{[9]
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Research source} Earlier versions of this weapon featured stone blades, but the Egyptians eventually upgraded them to copper and then to bronze. They also lengthened the stick so it could reach farther. A soldier could carry the Epsilon axe in battle, then use it to slice their enemies to ribbons when they go too close.^{[10]
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Duckbill axe The fact that so many people in ancient times didn't wear armor or helmets left them extremely vulnerable to all kinds of weapons. The duckbill axe could deal some of the deadliest blows. While it wasn't very large, the axe's hefty blade—named for its long, duckbill-like shape—could smash men's skulls and kill them in one or two strikes!^{[11]
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- Another feature that made it distinct from the Epsilon axe was that the handle slotted into a socket on one side of the blade. This design helped the blade stay on the handle better than simply binding it in 3 places, as was common on the Epsilon version.^{[12]
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Dagger The Egyptian dagger had a double-edged iron blade, which was equally useful on and off the battlefield. The blade was fixed to a handle that was usually made of ivory or bone.^{[13]
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Research source} In addition to fighting with them in battle, the Egyptians also used daggers for ceremonial purposes. Many rulers, including Tutankhamun, the Boy King, were found buried with these small weapons.^{[14]
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- Did you know? Scientists confirmed that a dagger found in Tutankhamun's tomb was forged using iron from a meteorite!
Another important innovation that the Egyptians received from their enemies, the Hyksos, was the war chariot. While riding in a chariot pulled by one or two horses, a soldier could fire arrows from their bows at their opponents as they passed. They could also mow down horseless combatants and roll over them with the chariot wheels. Some historians say that the chariot was as impactful on Egyptian warfare as the introduction of the tank was to the West in the early 1900s!^{[15]
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If an enemy was too close to shoot with a bow, but not close enough to engage in a sword or axe fight, the javelin was the next best choice of weapon. The javelin was like a smaller and lighter version of a spear. This made it perfect for throwing from a war chariot. In the hands of a capable Egyptian warrior, it could cause deadly damage!^{[16]
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This weapon consisted of a pear-shaped stone set on a wood or ivory handle. It was used for fighting, but also for ceremonial purposes. It also appears to have been the preferred weapon for multiple pharaohs. In ancient artwork from the Predynastic Period, Egyptian rulers are often depicted smashing their enemies with it!^{[17]
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Section 2 of 4:

What were Egyptian weapons made of?

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Most Egyptian weapons were made of wood, bone, bronze, and iron. Like most ancient civilizations, Egypt's earliest weapons were made of simple materials they could collect. Those included wood, as well as bone and sinew from animals. Once they learned metallurgy, they modified and expanded their weapons list to include metals like copper, bronze, and eventually iron.
- What is metallurgy? Britannica defines it as "the art and science of extracting metals from their ores and modifying the metals for use."^{[18]
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Section 3 of 4:

Brief History of the Egyptian Military

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From the Old Kingdom Period to the New Kingdom Period, the Egyptian army was mostly composed of small, separate units commanded by mercenaries from Nubia. These mercenaries often provided conscripts for the army, but neither they nor the soldiers were loyal to the pharaoh for his own sake—they just wanted to get paid! It wasn't until the New Kingdom Period that Egypt finally established the professional, cohesive army that most of us think of when we remember the ancient Egyptian empire.^{[19]
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Section 4 of 4:

Ancient Egyptian Military Structure

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The Egyptian army consisted of divisions of 5000 men. Each division had a strict hierarchy. For example, every unit of 50 soldiers had a commanding officer. That officer reported to his superior, who oversaw 5 units total (or 250 soldiers and their commanders). Above that officer was a captain, then a troop commander, then the troop overseer who commanded the garrison. Above him was a fortifications overseer who was in charge of the fort where the division was stationed at a given time. He reported to a lieutenant commander, who reported to the general in charge of the division.
- The general, in turn, reported to the vizier and the pharaoh of Egypt, who was the commander-in-chief.^{[20]
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- Who was the vizier? The vizier was the highest-ranking government official in Egypt, second only to the pharaoh. He was responsible for running the country's agricultural, financial, and judicial arms, plus he wore many other hats, as well.^{[21]
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