ABSTRACT
The craftsmanship of producing beautiful swords and armour reached its zenith in the medieval ages of Europe and Japan. Armour now forms important collections in many museums of fi ne arts. Since ‘high society’ of Europe and Japan at that time was composed of warriors who prized military equipment highly, precious arms were produced. Conversely, arms as artistic handicrafts seem to have been less appreciated in China than in Europe and Japan, because the Chinese upper classes were occupied by intellectuals, not by warriors.
