Moro weapons...

tom hyle · 9th April 2005, 04:54 PM

Yes, and the heads seem large for arrows in general, though we don't know how thin they are? The balance seems too forward for arrows, but I'm no archer. The blunt ferule seems impractical for penetration, but then, spears are certainly made that way, but then their blades are big enough to need go no deeper than the ferule.....Throwing may be a good idea about them; look at them maybe even as long-handled throwing knives, rather than spears, and it seems an interesting concept.

Rick · 9th April 2005, 05:13 PM

Comparing them to the weapons alongside I would estimate them to be 20+" long .
Two and a half inches penetration is all that is needed to deal a fatal wound ; they would also slow down approaching troops while they stopped to pull them out of their bodies .

A handfull of these thrown with force would have a shotgun like effect .
Easy to dodge one spear , not so easy to dodge several at once .
Most accounts of cotta battles refer to 'showers of spears' being thrown .
I do find it unusual not to have seen them in the flesh (N.P.I.

) before .

Ian · 9th April 2005, 11:07 PM

If we look at Plate 4 of Krieger (elsewhere on this site), there are several Moro arrows similar to the "small spears" shown on the web site cited above. Krieger's plates do contain errors, however, so the examples in his Plate 4 may have been mislabeled by the Smithsonian.

Ian

VANDOO · 10th April 2005, 05:34 AM

I HAVE READ IN SEVERAL ACCOUNTS OF THROWING WEAPONS REFERED TO AS DARTS THAT WERE THROWN IN BATTLES AND AMBUSH "UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE OR WHEN"

. PERHAPS THAT IS WHAT THESE TWO SHORT SPEARS ARE, IT MIGNT BE POSSIBLE TO THROW A HANDFUL AT ONCE BY HOLDING THEM BY THE END AND SLINGING THEM IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FOE OR PERHAPS MORE ACCURATELY ONE AT A TIME.

9th April 2005, 04:54 PM	#1
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Yes, and the heads seem large for arrows in general, though we don't know how thin they are? The balance seems too forward for arrows, but I'm no archer. The blunt ferule seems impractical for penetration, but then, spears are certainly made that way, but then their blades are big enough to need go no deeper than the ferule.....Throwing may be a good idea about them; look at them maybe even as long-handled throwing knives, rather than spears, and it seems an interesting concept.

9th April 2005, 05:13 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Comparing them to the weapons alongside I would estimate them to be 20+" long . Two and a half inches penetration is all that is needed to deal a fatal wound ; they would also slow down approaching troops while they stopped to pull them out of their bodies . A handfull of these thrown with force would have a shotgun like effect . Easy to dodge one spear , not so easy to dodge several at once . Most accounts of cotta battles refer to 'showers of spears' being thrown . I do find it unusual not to have seen them in the flesh (N.P.I. ) before .

9th April 2005, 11:07 PM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,399	If we look at Plate 4 of Krieger (elsewhere on this site), there are several Moro arrows similar to the "small spears" shown on the web site cited above. Krieger's plates do contain errors, however, so the examples in his Plate 4 may have been mislabeled by the Smithsonian. Ian

10th April 2005, 05:34 AM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAVE READ IN SEVERAL ACCOUNTS OF THROWING WEAPONS REFERED TO AS DARTS THAT WERE THROWN IN BATTLES AND AMBUSH "UNFORTUNATELY I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE OR WHEN" . PERHAPS THAT IS WHAT THESE TWO SHORT SPEARS ARE, IT MIGNT BE POSSIBLE TO THROW A HANDFUL AT ONCE BY HOLDING THEM BY THE END AND SLINGING THEM IN THE DIRECTION OF THE FOE OR PERHAPS MORE ACCURATELY ONE AT A TIME.