Spear?

[Akanthus]

Originally Posted by Raf

If its old , which it appears to be and looks like a boar spear then that’s probably what it is . The defining characteristics of a boar spear are the wide side bars , as opposed to the lugged spear as in the example illustrated above . A style which goes back to the early medieval period and beyond. The side bars are absolutely necessary to stop the injured boar impaling itself on the spear and savaging its attacker. They must have been an essential hunting tool and although decorative examples do exist the majority were probably simple blacksmith made with no more attention lavished on them than any other agricultural implement . As such I would have thought this is a rare survival that deserves to be celebrated.

Like billhooks they had potential as an extemporised weapon.

From Paulus Hector Mair 1517 – 1579) . German aristocrat, civil servant, and fencer. The boar spear:versus the halberd.

'take his thrust away with your blade on your left side. In that moment, follow in after with your left leg and stab him in his nuts.'

Halberd owners beware
.

Yes Raff you are right.The cross bars have to prevent penetrating the blade too deep in the animals body,so that the hunter could not draw back the boar spear.If you look at the classic spears, the cross bars are never part of the blades.They are connected to the socket of the blade or to the shaft by leather strips or later they were srewed to the socket.Often you can find holes in this area ,because the bars got lost.The bars have to be flexible,because you have to move the spear to enlarge the wound,so that the lounges collapse and the animal dies quickly.Bars,connected to the blade would inhibit the mobility of the spear and would be counterproductive.The blade doesn't have to be very long.20 to 30 cm are sufficient.