Coconut Armor, War Clubs, Sharktooth Blades at the Royal Ontario Museum

[@Skallagrim]

Hope you enjoyed this museum walk. Keep an eye out for part 2 (medieval & renaissance arms and armor), which will be published a few days after this (link in the video description).

[@williamleonardreesejr.1992]

It's always fun to go to a museum, even if just vicariously. Always did get weird looks for saying that.

[@Crangaso]

I've been 2x to Toronto but never there. Got to check it out. Thanks Skall

[@koenkooiman1490]

Looking forward to part 2!😁👍

[@markfergerson2145]

You can walk us through a museum any time. The iridescence on those glass pieces is also commonly seen in desert glass pieces. It’s apparently caused by temperature extremes damaging the amorphous structure of the glass, making thin, flat air pockets parallel to the surface of the glass. The colors are due to light entering the glass then bouncing around on the glass/air boundaries, interfering with itself, and then exiting. The thickness of the air layer determines the color we see. It’s also angle-sensitive as you saw. You don’t find it in beach glass that much because of the lack of temperature swings beach glass is usually subjected to, though I’ve found a few pieces with small color zones on Oregon beaches. Cool stuff. What’s next?

[@Roland3ld]

Looking forward to part 2, thanks for the videos.

[@glasscaster3536]

As a glassblower with over 20 years experience. I can tell what element created which color. I can say the iridescence on these vessels was absolutely intended. Vaporized metals cause these beautifully decorated items. Elements like silver, gold, and other metals would have to have been present in the glass to take on these colors and characteristics, it would not happen because of humidity flutuations or acidic soils. Glass is impervious to most of these environments. These pieces look like they have been colored with copper, cobalt, silver, and gold. Cadmium looks to be present in the far right vessel at 8:36. Just my take...

[@Ranstone]

Construction company: "Quick! Skall is coming! REMODEL EVERYTING!"

[@shinjofox]

As someone from the GTA -greater Toronto Area, Nah there is almost always construction going on down in that area. Typically repairs in the subway which runs beneath the building. Going on a weekend won't help either because they take that opportunity to do more.

[@petrapetrakoliou8979]

Bark is a standard material for weaving clothes in Prehistoric Europe, especially linden bark, but it was still used in historical periods too.

[@theycallmeJacko]

it's impressive how an ancient body armor made from coconuts looks so close to a modern kevlar body armor. Some things don't change.

[@eyesofstatic9641]

That’s what I thought immediately! Awesome stuff.

[@rzrx1337]

It's from the 19th century.

[@marcusfridh8489]

Then you should see an ancient Greek Lino thorax

[@RamonInNZ]

@@rzrx1337 using techniques from before then though..... who knows how old!

[@StuartAnderson-xl4bo]

Ancient is subjective my house is older than these items 😅

[@angusmuir6180]

Wow. I never would have imagined coconut or tree bark fiber could yield such a fine weave!

[@caelestigladii]

Pineapple

[@chrismead1464]

I've been in love with Maori weapons and art ever since I spent 3 months in New Zealand with a Maori family, I've made a few plains Indian war clubs, but looking forward to making some Maori style in the future.

[@DS.proudkiwi]

Made on myself from old puriri wood ,it's my second go but I'm getting better at it couple of carvings this time

[@skorza212]

No matter how long it’s been since I watched one of your videos, one always pops up and gets me eventually and I get excited knowing I’ve got a few months worth to binge through. Love this style of video as well, awesome stuff.

[@sharpestbulb]

The telegraph mace ones reminded me of something that would be used to hold bells for religious services

[@DeathWishMonkey]

I had thought the old Chinese texts saying the ancients wielded jade weapons were poetic license until I learned about Maori war clubs.

[@gumby2ms]

jade is tough, very hard, swords are ceremonial, but clubs could be used for sure. not going to break unless you hit something near jade hardness

[@chrisball3778]

There have been numerous elaborate jade weapons found in archaeological excavations of Ancient Chinese tombs. I'm not sure whether they were practical for fighting, but they definitely made them, at least for ceremonial purposes. There were even special 'armour' suits made from plates of jade that the very powerful were sometimes buried in, although those definitely seem to have been ritual rather than practical.

[@Kehy_ThisNameWasAlreadyTaken]

jade was used for chisels to carve the South American pyramids and stone structures. It's tough stuff, though can be brittle

[@kielwilson9734]

I wonder if jade can knapped like flint or obsidian?

[@chrisball3778]

@@kielwilson9734 Yes, it absolutely can. Many of the same techniques used in flint knapping can be used to work jade. I don't think it's as hard or durable, though, so you'd probably choose flint or obsidian for tools if you had them.

[@devyanshanand8341]

Honestly museums are so amazing. To me it gives a sense of awe to look at things in person that existed hundreds or even thousands of years ago, imagining them in the hands of people back then, how they created them and what not. For the same reason i am greatly attracted to fossils too. Like there was this animal that existed literally millions of years ago and i am seeing it in person today, how cool is that? I think all people should have and never lose this sense of child-like wonder in whatever things that might interest them :)

[@alexandrejose8362]

I'm very grateful for you taking your time to showcase the weapons and armors of cultures outside of Europe, there is too little of it on the internet. And thanks for the attention given to that roof and those glasses too.

[@METALLICAmoe]

Glad you enjoyed your time in the city Skall!!!!

[@cadethumann8605]

Huh. So King Arthur and his knights could have repurposed those coconuts as armor, huh?

[@reptiloidmitglied2930]

Only if they had enough sparrows for transport.

[@biohazard724]

Ni!

[@Naptosis]

But then they'd have to walk everywhere.

[@Very_Mean_Soup]

​@@reptiloidmitglied2930 African sparrows or European?

[@cadethumann8605]

@@Very_Mean_Soup Wasn't it swallows, not sparrows?

[@pangopod2969]

That knife has tooth ! I'm amazed by those armor pieces. They're so well made and the design is so ... Modern

[@w1q2e3r4t5]

The ROM really does have a TON of stuff, and some changing exhibits. It's a beautiful building and you really could spend a full day or more to look at everything present.

[@amalevafarren5594]

Those flask/jar/vase looking things at the end were so beautiful. Do you have anymore information on how Those were made?

[@stefansauvageonwhat-a-twis1369]

I was thinking glass-blowing, from google: "The craft of glassblowing is believed to have originated in the 1st century BC in areas now known as Israel, Iran, Palestine, and Lebanon", and since these are from that area and made of glass, I think so

[@alexsawa2956]

Great video. Nice visiting the ROM with you. Glad to see you also appreciate glass as well. Another interest of mine.

[@jango268]

I love the ROM. Ive only been once but im going back later this year, so much to see!

[@matthewbentley1311]

Really enjoyed this. Would love to see more museum tours, as you have a great demeanor (passion) for their exploration.

[@SomasAcademy]

~2:24 Sawfish, not swordfish - swordfish swords look more like the blade of a foil or smallsword. Sawfish are actually a type of shark, and the structure of the "saw" is made out of cartilage, so yeah, probably not super durable!

[@yokai333]

Pretty much

[@kleinerprinz99]

The Swordfish weapon might not be very durable but those teeth probably will keep stuck in your skin and will rip and tear much uglier wounds than a normal cutting edge would do. I think its a weapon of terror and or prestige.

[@adfmac]

I think it’s the rostrum of a sawfish rather than a swordfish

[@jonathonhartley6931]

yeah totally, looks to me like they'd have used it as more of a slasher, at full sprint running right past you probably close enough to shoulder nudge you, only to take your intestines out & leave you in the dust, as quickly as they came at you. pretty scary stuff to encounter on the first visit😨😱💀

[@chrisball3778]

It's from a sawfish, which is related to sharks and rays, not a swordfish, which is related to marlin. I did a bit of research into those weapons after seeing some in a museum, and apparently they were usually used in formal duels for settling disputes that were not meant to be fatal. The participants wore very extensive coconut fibre armour, along with helmets which were sometimes (bizarrely) made from the skins of porcupine puffer fish, so they were well-protected. The combat was usually stopped if someone got hurt. They also had similar clubs made by attaching shark teeth to a wooden shaft, very much like the Maori knife shown later in the video. It's such an awesome and unique weapons culture.

[@julietfischer5056]

@@chrisball3778- I bet the prospect of shredding ensured that many disputes were talked out. "I _know_ nobody's supposed to get hurt, but I'm not taking any chances."

[@chrisball3778]

@@julietfischer5056 Well, yeah, that's kinda the point of these stupid honour codes. I don't know that they work, because a tiny percentage of people are just unhinged freaks who like violence, and once they get in the system they just fuck it all up for everybody else.

[@theghosthero6173]

Fun fact, treebark clothes is still being made! Historically they would only remove some bark of trees, but now that they are protected, they are allowed to fell some trees to take the bark anually. The closest people to the Ainus, the Okinawans, make clothes out of banana tree fibers.

[@MechaShadowV2]

Since when were the Okinawan's closest to the Ainus? I've generally heard it being the Nivkh. Okinawan's are related to the Yamato Japanese.

[@theghosthero6173]

@@MechaShadowV2 you are somewhat correct indeed, both are closer to the extinct emishi group than they are to the yamato iirc.

[@rumpelpumpel7687]

Using tree bark/fibre for textile production is even a thing in industrial production. My shoes for example are made from pineapple fibre :D - Vegan leather that is not made from plastics is also made from tree bark or tree fibre most of the time. Read an article about plantations of "vegan leather trees" in Portugal and Spain. Some sort of cork tree. Companies buy it to produce belts, jackets, purses, wallets and shoes.

[@yokai333]

@@theghosthero6173 tlingit still make chilkat blankets with cedar bark

[@OrdonWolf]

Love the museum walkthrough format! This channel has always been educational but this is particularly scholarly

[@Bakubakuba]

Thanks for documenting the trip

[@spyrofrost9158]

Really have to appreciate ancient people and the dedication they put into their crafts.

[@whakadabellgate5699]

Really cool collection. The colorful vases are a nice suprise.

[@Alfred_Leonhart]

You had me at coconut armor

[@Predator20357]

Oh the museum looks like so much fun to go to. Especially the coconut armor and how creative the materials are for the weapons!

[@50043211]

The acoustic terror in the back ground is quite, well, it is.

[@JustGrowingUp84]

I absolutely adore all those exotic weapons made of wood, stone, and bone! It's a shame that so little of that complexity and variety is encountered in video games.

[@Thunderwolf4]

Love the war clubs and vases!!! Thanks for showing us the Royal Ontario Museum, Skall!!!✨👍✨

[@knightofarnor2552]

I went there last November... the place really is massive. I'll have to revisit it if I ever get a reason to go up to Toronto again.

[@tamaiofthesea]

Hey weapons from my culture and surrounding similar cultures! Love seeing these by typically eurofocused KZbinrs

[@sinisterswordsman25]

There's a good reason why we so admire the craftsmanship of bygone ages... they had nothing to do all day lol no TV, no radio, no nothing. No distractions, just make it perfect. As you can anyway, not like today nowadays we have Craftsman... (a little inside joke for my fellow Canadians)

[@Lowlandlord]

Been one of my favourite places on Earth since I was a little kid.🥰

[@makoent2231]

If the coconut armor is anything like the Helmets, capes, and cloaks of Hawaii, Tonga, andnew zealand, it's probably quite effective in protecting against impact weapons like clubs or stones launched by slings. The ahu ula, war capes could prevent penetration from pikes during battle, though only few warriors were adorned in them, they also happened to be the front-row of the hand/unit in their army. A hand was formed of fingers(about 5 men), and together they formed a hand(25 men) and organized into the front row with pikes and capes, like a hand reaching out. The less armored warriors marched behind with clubs, knives, and slings, and extra pikes if needed. The cloaks/capes protected from the enemy pikes, while the helmets actually did save their warriors from javelins and slingers.

[@Tomichika]

I love the construction work site sounds exposition the best ❤

[@emceeunderdogrising]

Great video. Appreciate you reaching into historical aspects. Cool to see the exhibit through your own perspective.

[@youremakingprogress144]

I really enjoyed this. I'm looking forward to part 2.

[@JohnLamp-g5d]

Very interesting and enjoyable video. I will revisit videos like this one, from time to time, for historical reference. Thanks!

[@napalmholocaust9093]

Pre dynastic Egypt blades are grain sickles. They were socketed into the inside of a "V" shaped forking branch with the bladed fork shorter.

[@adwarfsittingonagiantsshoulder]

Nice! I just rememver to have watched your stone knapping video... that quite some years ago! Cool maces!!!

[@necroseus]

I am *so* excited for these videos!!!!! What a lovely trip and some absolutely great footage!

[@MooseDuckVlogs]

I am glad I found your channel.....I have sub to it out of my appreciation for History like you.

[@marduk17]

Those iridescent jars reminded me the trinkets that Juste Belmold collect on Harmony of Dissonance.

[@evensgrey]

I'm impressed by how you managed to not get the incredibly ugly extension that was glommed on to the ROM in the approach shot.

[@jonathonhartley6931]

awesome looking stuff & expert craftsmanship, great video!!

[@spacepiratecaptainrush1237]

The ROM is pretty awesome, I only went once in my years living in Toronto, kinda wish I'd taken the opportunity to go more. there's museums and such where I live now, should maybe find excuses to go to those too...

[@HunterGargoyle]

i lived in Toronto for years, only places worth visiting in that city are the ROM and the Zoo

[@ranmyaku4381]

I've been to the ROM many times in my life and love the collections. I'm glad to had a chance to explore them. I missed the coconut and tree bark clothing though and it's great to see and hear your perspective on these collections. I am curious now how well these two armor types would stand up to the more traditionally known ones like the gambison.

[@NeilTheKnifeGuy]

Been there 6 times in my life, everytime for 6+ hours. Amazing everytime. The mummy exhibit is my favorite... it make me feel like Im falling when I'm around it. Lol A must see for anyone

[@paul6925]

Hey you’re in my hood! If you ever get a chance to see the natural history museum in New York it will explode your mind too. Huge collections! I gotta go back to see the Met too

[@fjallaxd7355]

Great tour. You can definitely spend hours in there.

[@cweeperz7760]

Oh damn! Whatcha doin in Toronto! Was so surreal seeing u film a place i walk by every day!

[@RamonInNZ]

The stone patu (Maori club) are quite heavy. I handled one very carefully once, the ceremonial ones are highly ornate and beautiful to behold.

[@weswolever7477]

Skall needs to go to the Cody museum in Cody Wyoming and tour their firearms exhibit. I’ve been there twice and it is amazing

[@bassemb]

That was a great video! I've visited the ROM but haven't seen any of these. I think maybe the floor was closed off for maintenance. Back before I moved to Canada, I had a wahaika that I bought from a flea market. I always thought it was mesoamerican, until I recently learned (from you and Matt Easton) that it's South Pacific.

[@plasticoflamingo2952]

So cool. I love museums, of all kinds.

[@highlandoutsider]

Was looking forward to this after seeing the shorts, did not disappoint! 🔥🔥🔥🙏

[@CDKohmy]

This reminded me somehow of a question I've had off-and-on. What is your take on the link between flax knives and training dussacks?

[@williamkuhns2387]

The Solomon Islands war clubs were modified for Star Wars movie Tuskan Raider/ sand people gaffi sticks. In thumbnail the center photo block upper left corner war club. That same style of club is also found in Fiji Islands.

[@MatthewJBRO]

One of the Polynesian war clubs that you saw is called a totokia. It’s the weapon that was turned into the Gaffi Stick from Star Wars.

[@ehsanrahee7411]

One thing I've done with random encounters is roll them earlier in the session than i need, and as the session plays out, i deploy the encounter as needed.

[@Neiot]

Oooo, this is a museum I would love to-- DISC MACE 1:19

[@tomcox297]

The Māori Mere/Patu clubs are thin because they’re designed to be quick but also they use thrusting and slashing movements I believe, there’s a finishing strike where you thrust at the top of the opponents head with a ‘twist’ to ‘pop’ open their head apparently

[@EingeborenerVollblutmischling]

The thing, I really don't like about Museums is that dang glass.... Still a great overview of a collection, I didn't even know of. Thanks Skall!

[@frankharr9466]

What a great museum!

[@Dirtbag-Hyena]

Thank you for this,it's somewhere I'll never be able to go. 1:23 Number 16(??)is definitely the inspiration for the Sand People club in Star Wars. Very cool to see that.

[@GadreelAdvocat]

Amazing video. Wonderful insight.

[@GunterThePenguinHatesHugs]

Drinking from those flasks would surely regenerate your HP or FP! 😋

[@Felenari]

Good watch. Ty for sharing.

[@ehsanrahee7411]

I was wondering why I hadn't gone to the ROM in so many years. Then I heard all the construction noises behind you and remembered how often it gets renovated and how sections are always closed.

[@Dinobot-k2x]

The maori weapons that where made from jade where used to pop the top off someones head off. Also black jade is really really strong. After 1700’s alot started to use metal for things like armour, weapons, or every day things though.

[@mansfieldtime]

. That was cool. I may need to make a trip.

[@micumatrix]

The Ocean 11 team seems to drill themselves into the museum!

[@CreepyMF]

Obviously the weapons where the bigger draw for me in this museum tour.

[@yokai333]

The ainu robe is similar to the chilkat blankets that are very valuable to the pacific natives

[@brianwalker8465]

The coastal natives from BC also wove fabric from cedar bark mixed with dog hair

[@yokai333]

Also mountain goat wool. Raven's tail blankets are so beautiful

[@Rodclutcher]

3:02 I wonder how they shape bone this way. Also great content Skall!!

[@mattmiraglia3199]

The thin clubs were called swords by the Europeans who contacted them. The Powhatans had the world tomahawk for a warclub like aace ams monohawk for a sword shaped ones (some accounts call them falchions). And tbe Powhatans called the English settlers swords monohawks.

[@KevDaly]

The Māori ones are also thin because they're explicitly designed to open the skull, among other things.

[@RamonInNZ]

And fairly heavy....

[@StuartAnderson-xl4bo]

Didn't work against firearms hence why they are all alcoholic today

[@WritingFighter]

It's fun to know about stuff that Skall seems to be discovering, squee like an idiot at his reactions to this stuff. Good deal, I would love to visit!

[@TheDocLamkin]

I read "Coconut Armor" and was immediately like 'say less"

[@schorschmcgill]

That was actually super interesting.

[@chrisball3778]

We're lucky enough to have quite a few anthropological collections of weaponry in the UK. Craziest thing I've ever seen in one is a multi-pronged spear tipped with human bone dipped in poison, from Espiritu Santo Island in Vanuatu, which is in the Pitt-Rivers museum in Oxford. Most Metal object ever. Also, it's completely counter-intuitive, but Kiribati is pronounced 'Kir-a-bas'. Apparently, as ferocious as those sawfish snout swords look, their main purpose was for settling disputes in (usually) non-fatal duels. The coconut fibre armour they wore was really extensive and usually prevented serious injury.

[@julietfischer5056]

I think 'Kiribati' is the indigenous pronunciation of 'Gilbert', since those were known to Europeans as the Gilbert Islands.

[@chrisball3778]

@@julietfischer5056 Therefore nobody ought to be pronouncing the 'T' or the 'I'. If you're gonna be a shitty colonialist, then just call them the 'Gilbert Islands', even though literally nobody's been called 'Gilbert' in fucking decades and it sounds much more like a made-up joke name than the correct pronunciation of 'Kiribati'.

[@julietfischer5056]

@@chrisball3778- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Islands You just advocated for denying the inhabitants of Kiribati the use of that name.

[@chrisball3778]

@@julietfischer5056 No I didn't, by any stretch of your fevered imagination, you very, very strange person. God bless you and keep you (if that's what you believe in).

[@ghostsauce3463]

2:23 that is from a saw tooth shark, not a swordfish.

[@HuckleberryHim]

Could it be from a sawfish? It looks thick for the shark

[@thomasjames7568]

I forgot what I clicked on and stated getting excited by the stairs wondering what trick was gonna go down.

[@andyleighton6969]

The "bark" body-armour is very reminiscent of the Greek linothorax - as we believe it to have been.

[@alfascav1754]

3:05 that Patu, number 7 is made from Akeake wood, (sp.Dodonaea viscosa) which believe it or not, depending on the specific tree, and part of the tree used, is MUCH harder and denser than Acacia excelsa which is generally what people are talking about when they say ironwood in relation to pacific Taonga

[@samlevi4744]

The next “night at the museum” movie can be a ROM Com.

[@EphemeralTao]

In the American Pacific Northwest, indigenous peoples made clothing, baskets, and armour from cedar bark fibres.

[@1jotun136]

Interesting that the Ainu sleeve has a gusset very similar to Viking tunic.

[@kevinmorrice]

when it comes to weapons, im fond of the macuahitl, mostly because i just love saying its name

[@LuxisAlukard]

Skall should get a job as night guard in ROM, so he could open those cabinets, handle every single weapon, make hundreds of videos, quit, and publish everything here on YT :D

[@mohamed-fb9vt]

There's also medieval wooden helmet with visor and Greaves and vambraces made of wood and ailletes also made of wood Armour made of animal horn Whale bone armour and crossbow

[@shepardthemailman]

His coconut armor protects him well, if he gets hit, not gonna hurt

[@cmur078]

I hear you asking about the weight of the clubs. I don't know about most, but I know the Māori clubs in the Wellington museum. Taiaha (two-handed) are mostly between about 550 and 950 grams (average 750) but they get up to 1.49 kgs. There aren't really enough posted weights for pouwhenua (basically a taiaha with a simple point for the butt) and tewhatewha (kind of axe-shaped), but they're pretty similar, maybe pouwhenua usually being a hundred grams or so heavier. For the one-handed clubs, across all designs, the wood and whalebone examples are mostly 350-625g (median 475), with wood slightly lighter. Jade is 475-900 (median 675), and onewa (basalt? greywacke? I'm not a geologist) being about 800g-1.1kg, median 950g, and one example being 2.1kgs. Some of these were never intended as weapons and probably designed quite differently, but I don't really know how to sort those out. I feel like the lighter one-handed examples would be the most likely to be affected. Of the different materials onewa is probably the safest because it's not as inherently valuable as jade, and can't be as elaborately carved as wood or bone.

[@niall_sanderson]

> Galen Weston wing 🤢🤮 Now that that’s out of my system, I’d love to see some ballistics dummy tests with replicas of these weapons and armour. Indigenous North American and Pacific Islander military equipment gets overlooked by a lot of military history people

[@louthegiantcookie]

Were these the sort of weapons the Inuit used when they fought the Vikings? I read an article about that chapter in history some years ago, and found it an intriguing story.

[@makoent2231]

"Definitely a two-handed club" Not for those island warriors who held them with their fingers ;) jkjk. The Sali is a fairly familiar weapon among Fiji artifacts and was two-handed intended, but warriors could wield it one-handed by holding their grip at the neck of the striking area. It has a blade intended to slice, and a notch to disarm.