spanish colonial lances

[Gonzalo G]

The lance and the spontoon were typical weapons and tool in the colonial and post-colonial periods in Mexico. The lance was a weapon used mainly, but not exclusively, by the cavalry since the conquest. Lancers charges were common from the troops from Cortéz. Latter, the lance was used, not only by the presidio troops, but also by the cowboys to manage the catttle. There were cavalry lancers along all the 19th Century in Mexico, including California, Arizona, Texas and New México. Those lances were long poled weapons, not as the indian ones, and not to be used as the indian´s, or thrown. As Jim says, the lance was the primary wepon of the cavalry, and not the sword, the sabre or the machete. I think the lance was much more common in México than is the USA, but I can be mistaken. We have many examples on the museums.

Tomahawks I only have seen them in the most "european" style, the hatchet used by the colonizers, not the classical "indian" used by the USA indians. The comanches never went more to the south than the north side of the State of San Luis Potosí, not even to central México. I find greatly inacurate that statement. But they were already in all the northeast Mexico, as the apache in the central north and also in the northeast, mainly the mezcaleros.
Regards

Gonzalo