Horo (cloak)
| Horo (cloak) | |
|---|---|
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| Information | |
| Weapon type: | Protective weapon |
| Designations: | Horo |
| Working time: | around 16th century |
| Region of origin / author: |
Japan , armory |
| Distribution: | Japan |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Horo ( Japanese 母 衣 ) is a cape from Japan.
description
The horo is made of silk and rattan , whale bones and bamboo rods . The rods are tied together so that they form a ball or basket open to the front . The rods are attached to a bracket that can be tied to the back of a rider. For transport, the rods lie next to each other and are stretched for use, similar to an umbrella, and tied to the lower part of the holding device. They form a ball or basket shape. A silk cover is stretched over the frame made of the rods and can be connected to the rods by means of loops on the fabric. When riding, the horo is inflated by the air entering from the front. It then covers the rider's entire back. Due to the counter pressure of the penetrating air and the flexibility of the silk, it is possible to catch bow arrows with the Horo . The horo also has a very important symbolic meaning for the Japanese. It was only used by high-ranking samurai . If a samurai was killed in battle , the enemy would recognize the high rank of the bearer by the horo , and so the body of the fallen could be treated with the respect it deserves. There is a rule in Japan: "If you have killed an enemy wearing the horo, wrap their head in a piece of the horo." The cutting of the tethers of the horo also indicated a surrender of the fight and the readiness for sepukku . In combat at sea or when there was not enough space to carry the horo , it was indicated by a special, short standard that was carried on the back like a heraldic rod ( sashimono ).
literature
- Oscar Ratti, Adele Westbrook: Secrets of the samurai. A survey of the martial arts of feudal Japan. Tuttle Publishing, Rutland VT 1991, ISBN 0-8048-1684-0 , p. 221.
Individual evidence
- ↑ George Cameron Stone : A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times. With an Introduction by Donald J. LaRocca. Courier Dover Publications, Mineola NY 1999, ISBN 0-486-40726-8 , pp. 299-301.