Carrying Spears

Kankun · 27th July 2007, 04:18 PM

Hi everyone,

For this first post I was simply wondering what one calls a belt/harness for carrying spears/polearms? I'm sure they exist right? I know a scabbard/sheath is for carrying swords/daggers, simple enough. I've been looking everywhere for a definition and pictures but have come up empty.
I'm sure that horsemen with lances had something on their horse to sling it onto but what about pikeman/other warriors?

I was wondering if any of you could help me. Many thanks.

Ian · 29th July 2007, 04:25 AM

Welcome to the Forum Kankun

fernando · 29th July 2007, 01:31 PM

Hi Kankun.
Horsemen rested their lances upright at the stirrup buckets, and eventually held by devices called toyles, placed on the armour cuisses ( thighs ).
I thaught that infantrymen rested their polearms upright on the ground and, when marching, loosely against their shoulders

Others will know better.
fernando

VANDOO · 29th July 2007, 04:41 PM

THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF SPEARS AND LANCES AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY DIFFERENT TECKNIQUES FOR USING THEM.
SOME LANCES HAD A SHAFT AND A POINT THAT CAME OFF, THE WARRIOR WOULD RIDE BY AND STRIKE HIS ENEMY THEN PULL THE SHAFT FREE AND RIDE OFF AND PUT ANOTHER POINT ON THE SHAFT AND THEN TAKE ON ANOTHER OPONENT. THIS WAS USED IN ETHIOPIA AS LATE AS WW2 AND PROBABLY IN OTHER AREAS. SO THEY WOULD HAVE HAD SOME SORT OF QUIVER FOR THEIR LANCE POINTS AS WELL AS ONE OR TWO SPARE SHAFTS ON THEIR CAMEL.
I THINK THE BRITISH LANCERS AS WELL AS OTHERS HAD A TECKNIQUE FOR STRIKING AND THEN PULLING THE LANCE OUT AS THEY RODE BY FOR USE AGAIN. IT WOULD OF COURSE DEPEND ON THE BATTLE IF YOU WERE RIDING INTO THE MASS YOU WOULD STRIKE ONE TARGET AND DISCARD THE LANCE AND PULL YOUR SWORD.
JOUSTING LANCES WERE MUCH HEAVIER AND COULD BE USED OVER AND OVER IF THEY DID NOT SHATTER. THEY WERE NOT DESIGNED TO PENETRATE THE ARMOR BUT TO UNHORSE THE OTHER KNIGHT. THE KNIGHT WOULD BE HURT BY THE IMPACT OF THE LANCE AND AGAIN WHEN HE HIT THE GROUND REGARDLESS OF THE ARMOR. A JOUSTING LANCE USED AGAINST SOMEONE WITHOUT ARMOR WOULD NO DOUBT BE FATAL THEY MAY HAVE ALSO HAND ARMOR PIERCING LANCE POINTS FOR BATTLE ? THE RETAINERS KEPT A SUPPLY OF LANCES FOR THEIR KNIGHT AT TOURNEMENTS.
CHARIOTS HAD RACKS FOR HOLDING EXTRA SPEARS AND ARROWS, SO DID WAR ELEPHANTS. FOOTSOLDIERS MAY HAVE CARRIED MORE THAN ONE SPEAR OR MAY HAVE HAD RETAINERS WHO CARRIED BUNDLES OF SPEARS FOR THEM.
WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Kankun · 3rd August 2007, 04:48 PM

I appreciate the welcomes and the responses to my questions.

To Vandoo: about the replaceable spearheads and shafts, that's something I never knew before but that actually makes a lot of sense. A lance is not something one would want to leave behind after striking a single opponent. On that note, what about javelins? I know we've all seen the Rohirrim using them in LotR but is that true to life? I would think so since you could probably get that much more range with the added momentum from propelling it on horseback.

To Fernando: I was sure that was how it worked for infantrymen too however, I am wondering if the scope of my question is appropriate for this forum because I'm not sure if its rooted in reality or not.

I'm not sure if its complete fiction but the image I'm thinking of is a warrior(knight or not) who carries a polearm with them but that slings it over their back for convenience. I have seen backhanging baldrics for large swords so I thought it might be possible for a spear as well but then again, I'm not sure..

27th July 2007, 04:18 PM	#1
Kankun Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2	Carrying Spears Hi everyone, For this first post I was simply wondering what one calls a belt/harness for carrying spears/polearms? I'm sure they exist right? I know a scabbard/sheath is for carrying swords/daggers, simple enough. I've been looking everywhere for a definition and pictures but have come up empty. I'm sure that horsemen with lances had something on their horse to sling it onto but what about pikeman/other warriors? I was wondering if any of you could help me. Many thanks.

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29th July 2007, 04:25 AM	#2
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,023	Welcome to the Forum Kankun

29th July 2007, 01:31 PM	#3
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,637	Hi Kankun. Horsemen rested their lances upright at the stirrup buckets, and eventually held by devices called toyles, placed on the armour cuisses ( thighs ). I thaught that infantrymen rested their polearms upright on the ground and, when marching, loosely against their shoulders Others will know better. fernando

29th July 2007, 04:41 PM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF SPEARS AND LANCES AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY DIFFERENT TECKNIQUES FOR USING THEM. SOME LANCES HAD A SHAFT AND A POINT THAT CAME OFF, THE WARRIOR WOULD RIDE BY AND STRIKE HIS ENEMY THEN PULL THE SHAFT FREE AND RIDE OFF AND PUT ANOTHER POINT ON THE SHAFT AND THEN TAKE ON ANOTHER OPONENT. THIS WAS USED IN ETHIOPIA AS LATE AS WW2 AND PROBABLY IN OTHER AREAS. SO THEY WOULD HAVE HAD SOME SORT OF QUIVER FOR THEIR LANCE POINTS AS WELL AS ONE OR TWO SPARE SHAFTS ON THEIR CAMEL. I THINK THE BRITISH LANCERS AS WELL AS OTHERS HAD A TECKNIQUE FOR STRIKING AND THEN PULLING THE LANCE OUT AS THEY RODE BY FOR USE AGAIN. IT WOULD OF COURSE DEPEND ON THE BATTLE IF YOU WERE RIDING INTO THE MASS YOU WOULD STRIKE ONE TARGET AND DISCARD THE LANCE AND PULL YOUR SWORD. JOUSTING LANCES WERE MUCH HEAVIER AND COULD BE USED OVER AND OVER IF THEY DID NOT SHATTER. THEY WERE NOT DESIGNED TO PENETRATE THE ARMOR BUT TO UNHORSE THE OTHER KNIGHT. THE KNIGHT WOULD BE HURT BY THE IMPACT OF THE LANCE AND AGAIN WHEN HE HIT THE GROUND REGARDLESS OF THE ARMOR. A JOUSTING LANCE USED AGAINST SOMEONE WITHOUT ARMOR WOULD NO DOUBT BE FATAL THEY MAY HAVE ALSO HAND ARMOR PIERCING LANCE POINTS FOR BATTLE ? THE RETAINERS KEPT A SUPPLY OF LANCES FOR THEIR KNIGHT AT TOURNEMENTS. CHARIOTS HAD RACKS FOR HOLDING EXTRA SPEARS AND ARROWS, SO DID WAR ELEPHANTS. FOOTSOLDIERS MAY HAVE CARRIED MORE THAN ONE SPEAR OR MAY HAVE HAD RETAINERS WHO CARRIED BUNDLES OF SPEARS FOR THEM. WELCOME TO THE FORUM

3rd August 2007, 04:48 PM	#5
Kankun Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2	I appreciate the welcomes and the responses to my questions. To Vandoo: about the replaceable spearheads and shafts, that's something I never knew before but that actually makes a lot of sense. A lance is not something one would want to leave behind after striking a single opponent. On that note, what about javelins? I know we've all seen the Rohirrim using them in LotR but is that true to life? I would think so since you could probably get that much more range with the added momentum from propelling it on horseback. To Fernando: I was sure that was how it worked for infantrymen too however, I am wondering if the scope of my question is appropriate for this forum because I'm not sure if its rooted in reality or not. I'm not sure if its complete fiction but the image I'm thinking of is a warrior(knight or not) who carries a polearm with them but that slings it over their back for convenience. I have seen backhanging baldrics for large swords so I thought it might be possible for a spear as well but then again, I'm not sure..