Leg over Leg. Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq

breach” or darrājāt, “a dabbābah made for siege warfare, which men get underneath” or manjīqāt, “the manjanīq is a machine with which stones are thrown; also spelled manjanūq—an Arabized word¹³—and manjalīq” or naffāṭāt, “the naffāṭah [singular] is a copper device with which bitumen is thrown” or the khaṭṭār, “the khaṭṭār is the [same as the] manjanīq”; it also means “a man who thrusts much with his spear” or sabaṭānāt, “the sabaṭānah [singular] is a hollow reed through which projectiles are blown” or the ḍabr, “the ḍabr is a leather-covered wooden structure containing men who approach fortresses in order to fight” or the qafʿ, “protective structures made of wood beneath which men get and which they move up to fortresses in war” or julāhiq, “balls that are thrown”; similar are barāqīl and banādiq

      2.1.8

والحَسَك	اداة للحرب من حديد او قصب فيلقى حول العسكر تعمل على مثال الحسك المعروف *
والقُرْدُمانىّ	قبآ محشو يتخذ للحرب وسلاح كانت الاكاسرة تدّخرها فى خزائنهم والدروع الغليظة *
والتِجْفاف	آلة للحرب يلبسه الفرس والانسان *
واليَلَب	التِرَسة او الدروع من الجلود *
والسَرْد	اسم جامع للدروع *
والدَرَق	التروس من جلود بلا خشب ولا عَقَب ونحوه الحَجَف *
والحَرْشَف	الرجَّالة وما يزيَّن به سلاح *
والعَتَلات	العَتَلة العصا الضخمة من حديد لها راس مفلطح يهدم بها الحائط *
والمِنْسَفات	المِنسفة آلة يقلع بها البنآ *
والفَلَق	مقطرة السجّان وهى خشبة فيها خروق على قدر سعة الساق *

or ḥasak,	“devices of iron or reed for use in war that are thrown down around the soldiers and that work like common caltrops”14
or the qurdumānī,	“a padded outer garment used in war; also a weapon the Caesars kept in their storehouses; also thick shields”15
or the tijfāf,	“a device for war worn by horse and man alike”16
or yalab,	“shields and coats of armor made of leather”
or sard,	“a general term for armor”
or daraq,	“shields made of leather without wood or sinews; similar are ḥajaf”
or ḥarshaf,	“foot soldiers; ornaments for weapons”
or ʿatalāt,	“the ʿatalah [singular] is an enormous iron pole with a blunt head with which walls are demolished”
or minsafāt,	“the minsafah [singular] is an instrument for uprooting built structures”
or the falaq,	“the jailor’s pillory, consisting of a length of wood with holes the size of the shanks”

      2.1.9

والخَنازِر	الخَنْزرة فاس عظيمة يكسّر بها الحجارة *
والعَذْرآ	شى من حديد يعذّب به الانسان لاقرار بامر ونحوه *
والمقاطِر	المقطرة خشبة فيها خروق على قدر سعة ارجل المحبوسين *
والمراديس	المِرْداس آلة يدكّ بها الحائط والارض *
والدَهَق	خشبتان يغمز بهما الساق *
والصاقور	الفاس العظيمة *
والمَلاطِس	المِلْطَس المِعْول الغليظ *
والمَقارِيص	المقراص السكين المعقرب الراس *
والملاوظ	المِلْوَظ عصا يضرب بها *

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or khanāzir,	“the khanzarah [singular] is a large axe used for breaking stones”
or the ʿadhrāʾ,	“a thing made of iron with which people are tortured to make them confess, etc.”17
or maqāṭir,	“the miqṭarah [singular] is a piece of wood with holes the size of the prisoners’ legs”
or marādīs,	“the mirdās [singular] is an instrument with which a wall, or the ground, is pummeled”
or the dahaq,	“two pieces of wood with which the shanks are squeezed”
or the ṣāqūr,	“a large axe”
or malāṭis,