# Pernach

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Flanged mace in the 12th century

This article is about pernach mace. For the Pernach pistol, see [OTs-33 Pernach](/source/OTs-33_Pernach).

Pernachs, two of which are shestopyors (right)

A **pernach** ([Russian](/source/Russian_language): перна́ч, [Ukrainian](/source/Ukrainian_language): перна́ч or пірна́ч, *pirnach*, [Polish](/source/Polish_language): *piernacz*) is a type of [flanged mace](/source/Mace_(bludgeon)) originating in the 12th century in the region of [Kievan Rus'](/source/Kievan_Rus') and later widely used throughout [Europe](/source/Europe). The name comes from the Slavic word *перо* (*pero*) meaning [feather](/source/Feather), referring to a type of mace resembling an [arrow](/source/Arrow) with [feathering](/source/Fletching).

## Uses against armour and mail

Among a variety of similar weapons developed in 12th-century [Persian](/source/Persia)- and [Turkic](/source/Turkic_peoples)-dominated areas, the pernach became pre-eminent,[1] being capable of penetrating [plate armour](/source/Plate_armour) and [plate mail](/source/Plate_mail).

## Ceremonial uses

A pernach or shestoper ([Russian](/source/Russian_language): шестопeр, "six-feathered") was often carried as a [ceremonial mace](/source/Ceremonial_mace) of rank by certain [Eastern European](/source/Eastern_Europe) military commanders, including [Polish](/source/Polish_people) [magnates](/source/Magnate), [Ukrainian](/source/Ukrainian_people) [Cossack](/source/Cossack) [colonels](/source/Colonel) and [sotniks](/source/Sotnik) (cf. [centurion](/source/Centurion)).

## Symbolic uses

In Ukraine, it symbolized the authority of [polkovnyks](/source/Polkovnyk) (regional leaders or military officers)[2] unlike another mace, the [bulawa](/source/Bulawa), which was associated with the [Hetman](/source/Hetman).

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Caza, Shawn M. [Medieval flanged maces](http://otlichnik.tripod.com/medmace3.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Pernach](http://resource.history.org.ua/cgi-bin/eiu/history.exe?Z21ID=&I21DBN=EIU&P21DBN=EIU&S21STN=1&S21REF=10&S21FMT=eiu_all&C21COM=S&S21CNR=20&S21P01=0&S21P02=0&S21P03=TRN=&S21COLORTERMS=0&S21STR=pernach_pirnach). Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine.

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