A Note on the Term Xūd-Šikan

Abstract

This article concentrates on the term xūd-šikan. Xūd-šikan is a term in military history in Persian. It means helmet-breaker or piercer. Xūd-šikan (خودشکن ) is formed by combining the Persian words “xūd” (خود ) and “šikan” (شکن ), which is the present tense root of the verb “šikastan” (شکستن ). It appears in two sources, Ādāb al-Harb wa al-Šajā‘a, written by Faxr al-Dīn Mubārak Šāh, and Hedāyat al-Ramy, written by Sayyid Mīr-‘Alawī. According to what we understand from the sources, this term refers to weapons used against helmets and armour made of iron.