Chivalric chronicles, adventurous novels and even modern epic films seem inexpressive and boring if swords do not ring in them, blades do not sparkle, arrows do not whistle. From time immemorial, edged weapons have been the personification of military valor and masculine principle, a symbol of power and prosperity, an honorary award, a talisman and a talisman. It is no coincidence that among many peoples it was considered a gift from the gods, a magical object sent down from above. Finally, edged weapons combine two seemingly incompatible qualities. It is both an exquisite work of art and a functional subject on which the life of its owner depended. The book, written by leading Russian weapons historians, historians, art historians and ethnographers, will be of interest to a wide range of readers.