LaRocca D.J. The Gods of War: Sacred Imagery and the Decoration of Arms and Armor

Metropolitan Museum, 1996. — 49 p.The book presents a variety of decorating arms and armor.Religious beliefs have often inspired the content of artistic expression, at times supplying the themes that infuse not only the art but also the spirit of an age. Through artistic invention sacred concepts take on concrete form both in works devoted to worship and in those intended for nonre-ligious uses. In this regard, sacred imagery is one of the few themes, perhaps the only truly universal theme, that manifests itself in the form and ornamentation of armor and weapons from cultures around the world.