Caption

Islamic trebuchet, 12th century. Illustration from a treatise on warfare compiled for Saladin after the fall of Jerusalem. This device is the counterweight trebuchet by Al-Tarsusi, dating from around 1187. A trebuchet is a type of catapult that uses a counterweight to power a swinging arm that throws a projectile from a bucket (shown here) over castle walls during a siege. As well as being a trebuchet, this device was used to operate a large siege crossbow, positioned by the trebuchet bucket. For the second half of this illustration, see image C042/4468.