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#1 |
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
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They probably have been around in warfare for thousands of years - and their natural pattern, water caltrops, for many millions of years.
They are a device of a principle simple and perfect at the same time: wherever, whenever and how ever they are cast they will always land the way that one spike points upward, to hinder and harm man and animal alike. The surviving samples posted here are of late medieval to 18th c. date. The painting details of which are attached is dated 1771, representing a later version of an earlier painting of the 2nd half of the 16th c., and depicting a cruel historic battle of 1444 which took place in Schönenbuchen, Black Forest. The rural population is portrayed dispersing caltrops from wicker baskets. Most of the instances shown here are barbed. Acually this is a feature rare to find; in the author's experience, only one caltrop in about 500 was additionally barbed. They are not that easy to find in good condition either; most of them seem not to have survived spending hundreds of years of burial - most probably due to their delicate construction. Caltrops also have gone down in medieval heraldry (instances attached). Best, Michael Last edited by Matchlock; 6th July 2012 at 09:27 PM. |
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#2 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
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More.
m |
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#3 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
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More details from the painting, some heraldic samples, and engravings.
m |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Wickford, UK
Posts: 54
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Interesting post, I've never heard of water caltrops before. Thanks for sharing!
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#5 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: OKLAHOMA, USA
Posts: 3,138
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I AM PRETTY SURE THE CALTROP GOES BACK TO ROMAN TIMES AND IS STILL USED IN THE PRESENT. VIETNAM PUNJI STAKES IN RICE PADDIES AND TALL GRASS.
THERE ARE THE ONE WAY TRAFFIC TREADLES USED IN PARKING LOTS AND GARAGES TO SHREAD TIRES. THE SPIKE STRIPS USED BY THE POLICE AND MILITARY AND A THING REFERRED TO AS THE SQUID DESIGNED TO STOP VEHICLES WITH NON PUNCTURING TIRES AND SUCH. SEARCH SPIKE STRIPS. THE BARBED AND CONCERTINA WIRE MAY HAVE EVOLVED FROM THE SAME IDEA. WHATEVER THE CASE THE PLANT KINGDOM THOUGHT OF IT FIRST. ![]() |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Chania Crete Greece
Posts: 506
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These are from a Venetian fort in Crete!
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#7 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 607
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Looks like the village elders were put to work. All with white beards and no personal weapons of any sort.
Last edited by Dmitry; 10th July 2012 at 04:59 PM. |
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#8 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
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That was my impression too, Dmitry,
Seems the younger ones were all involved in the fight ... Best, m |
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#9 |
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 607
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Personal details like that underscore the veracity of the subject matter. I love it!
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#10 |
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,590
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Hi,
Attached the arms of the Drummond family complete with caltrops. Malcolm Drummond is credited with successfully using caltrops against the English cavalry at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 hence he was accorded the honour of incorporating them in his armorial. Regards, Norman. P.S. 'Gang Warily' means go carefully, I suppose apt where caltrops are involved. |
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#11 |
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Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking
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Gang Warily - a witty motto regarding caltrops!
![]() Thanks for the brilliant contribution, Norman! Best, m |
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#12 |
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Halstenbek, Germany
Posts: 202
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Some time ago, I startet an attempt to reconstruct a pair of iron soles, protecting the feet of persons scanning and clearing a battlefield from hidden caltrops, as recommended by a bellifortis after Conrad Kyeser of the Cologne Historical Archive of 1443, or as shown on the left image in post #14.
After a first one hour trial, they work really well. My short report can be found here: https://www.bummsbrigade.de/index.ph.../caltrops.html |
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#13 |
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Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Leiden, NL
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#14 |
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Halstenbek, Germany
Posts: 202
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Yes, you can walk really well, comfortably and save on meadows, grass or fields. On the other hand, walking on paved paths and roads is awkward and not so safe because the soles are very slippery.
I will conduct further tests to verify the practicality of the iron soles. |
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#15 |
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Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 15
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My friend stepped on one in a rice paddy. Modern version. Spent mortar shell base with two 8" barbed steel spikes sticking out. He still has it-with the one spike cut off by the field hospital.
It had been in the dirt for a while, he felt the base , recognized what it was, and was yelling at his guys to back off- there were roots around it and he thought in the heat of moment (there was lots of other stuff going on) that they were wires and it was booby trapped with a charge. Humorous, 55 years after the fact. |
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#16 |
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Halstenbek, Germany
Posts: 202
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You can't underestimate the efficiency of caltorps. When they lie in the grass you do not recognize them. And if you are a late medieval infantry, equipped with helmet and visor, through which you see even less, and have to rush the enemy, you have absolutely no chance. In this respect, scanning the battlefield would make absolute sense, provided there is a chance to do so before the battle.
Especially in view of the large quantities in which these caltrops were purchased and stocked. In 1642, the city of Hamburg alone had over 23,959 pieces, and at the Coburg fortress there are still large chests full of them today. However, from the late Middle Ages, I am so far only aware of the mentions in the Bellifortis and war technical manuscripts, but no factual reports of scanning and cleaning them from the battle fields. |
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