War and Military Atlas

How Battles Were Fought
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Dirk

Early Modern

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A dirk is a long-bladed thrusting dagger, taking its name from the Highland dirk, called biodag in Scottish Gaelic, which originated in the Scottish Highlands as a personal sidearm of Highland clansmen. It later became the traditional weapon of Highland regiment officers, pipers and drummers roughly between 1725 and 1800, was carried by naval officers for hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail, and was also adopted by Japanese naval officers.

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