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#31 | |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Detroit (New Mayapan)
Posts: 96
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#32 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Posts: 5,503
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A remarkably well-educated and knowledgeable participant on another forum has identified it as... Corrida implement!
According to him, descriptions of such a device can be found at: M. Defourneaux, "L`Espagne au siecle d`or", 1996. Page 176 Théophile Gautier,Voyage en Espagne 1862. Page 353 and in multiple other Spanish and French contemporay sources. It was allegedly used by peons ( maintenance workers) at the corrida to immobilize and to slaughter the still-alive bull. Spanish colleagues: any access to first-hand information? French speakers: can you verify the above sources? |
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#33 |
Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,242
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Here is the Gautier source:
http://books.google.ca/books?id=hMbQ...page&q&f=false He describes a "media-luna" or half moon, aka crescent, on a staff used to cut the bull's tendons and effectively immobilizing it so it can be finished off. No illustration is give. Haven't found Defourneaux yet. |
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#34 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,287
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'on a staff .'
I would not like to attempt this with a sword-length implement . Too close for my comfort . Have recently seen a horrible youtube goring of a Matador .* I'll pass on this job . *no links please! |
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#35 | |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Madrid / Barcelona
Posts: 256
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The "medialuna" or "media-luna" was (still is) indeed a tool to hamstring the bull, not only in the "corrida" but also in cattle-herding. I managed to find a picture of an old one: ![]() It is also known as "desjarretadera" ("harmstringer"). There's some modern variations that are no longer crescent-shaped. It was used at the end of a long staff (as it's mentioned in Gautier), in Spain and in areas of Spanish influence. I'm no specialist, so I might be wrong, but it would really surprise me if the "sword" in discussion was such an instrument... Best, Marc |
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#36 | |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,818
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A very interesting post, thank you for showing your research here and Ariel thank you for starting and following through on this thread and a special thanks to your comrade. Marc, the images you have bought to light here certainly helps my mind draw parallels to the same pole weapon found in some Chinese martial schools. So many weapons are considered to have developed from a farming background, now it supports my thoughts in some way with this example shown below. Thank you Gav |
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#37 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Houston, TX, USA
Posts: 1,254
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very interesting. Seems to be Persian, and in line with a tradition of fanciful/decorative Persian blades. Seems like it would handle similarly to a shamshir?
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