Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > European Armoury

 
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Prev Previous Post   Next Post Next
Old 27th January 2021, 05:38 PM   #8
Richard G
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 409
Default

The general consensus is these are pike heads, and I'm not going to disagree, but I will explain why I thought there is a possibility they may be shoes.
1, They are square sided; not unknown, but unusual for a pike head.
2, The spike, or bodkin, is only 10cm long. This may be sufficient to penetrate a thick coat and armour, but only just. Bearing in mind pikes were a defence against cavalry, most horses could probably survive a jab of only 10cms, especially if protected.
3, Further, there is a possibility that if the ball is shoved through anything like mail or armour it would prove a hindrance in disengaging the weapon.
4, There seems to be a 'flow' in most pikes, even those with a ball or ring, from the tip through to the shaft which is missing here. The spike stops abruptly at the ball and there is a definite 'shoulder' where it meets the shaft.
5, If they are shoes they do not have to be from a pike. They could be the shoes of, say, a halberd or spontoon which was pre-eminently a parade weapon.
6, I cannot explain what seems to be unnecessarily long langets for a shoe.
Best wishes
Richard
Richard G is offline   Reply With Quote
 

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:26 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.