Byzantium spears _ looking for information

Jim McDougall · 28th October 2010, 06:59 PM

Hi Bakradze, and thank you for the more detailed explanation....please call me Jim OK, we're very informal here!!

Absolutely fascinating topic, the arms of Georgia, and the importance of Georgia's part during the crusades is often not nearly included enough in histories of the subject. I know I'll need to work a bit on getting up to speed on this, but meanwhile, references that come to mind are:

"Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era 1050-1350" David Nicolle, this is a two volume set, with amazingly comprehensive plates of drawings of arms and armour, very informative.

"Byzantine Infantryman: Eastern Roman Empire 900-1204" , Timothy Dawson, this is one of the Osprey monographs.

"Warrior Saints in Byzantine Art and Tradition", 2003, Christopher Walter.

Indeed the Georgian iconography does reflect the themes and motif of Greek Orthodox Christianity in its art, and I recall the profound presence of the medieval religious symbolism of the crusaders being seen in the arms and armour of the Khevsurs.

Knowing now what you are referring to with the spears I think we can look further into what type of spears were used by the Byzantine forces in these times and what the significance was of a circular motif in the head of an apparantly signicant number of these. Having established the important Harbaville Triptych (middle 10th c.) with examples, we can look more into the representation of the figures and the weapon forms in place.

Excellent topic!! and thank you so much for joining us as we move ahead on searching for examples.

All the best,
Jim

28th October 2010, 06:59 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,196	Hi Bakradze, and thank you for the more detailed explanation....please call me Jim OK, we're very informal here!! Absolutely fascinating topic, the arms of Georgia, and the importance of Georgia's part during the crusades is often not nearly included enough in histories of the subject. I know I'll need to work a bit on getting up to speed on this, but meanwhile, references that come to mind are: "Arms and Armour of the Crusading Era 1050-1350" David Nicolle, this is a two volume set, with amazingly comprehensive plates of drawings of arms and armour, very informative. "Byzantine Infantryman: Eastern Roman Empire 900-1204" , Timothy Dawson, this is one of the Osprey monographs. "Warrior Saints in Byzantine Art and Tradition", 2003, Christopher Walter. Indeed the Georgian iconography does reflect the themes and motif of Greek Orthodox Christianity in its art, and I recall the profound presence of the medieval religious symbolism of the crusaders being seen in the arms and armour of the Khevsurs. Knowing now what you are referring to with the spears I think we can look further into what type of spears were used by the Byzantine forces in these times and what the significance was of a circular motif in the head of an apparantly signicant number of these. Having established the important Harbaville Triptych (middle 10th c.) with examples, we can look more into the representation of the figures and the weapon forms in place. Excellent topic!! and thank you so much for joining us as we move ahead on searching for examples. All the best, Jim