Mamluk Spears

[Gavin Nugent]

There are numerous references, written and visual, pertaining to Mamluk armour, swords, metalwork, paper, glass, ceramics etc but as yet I have not been able to find any "real examples" of the spears or even spear heads they carried except for a few battle standards.

I have viewed many depictions of these spears/lances in lithographs and drawings of old but have been unable to find any within museums or catalogues....I know they are out there though.

Can anyone help point me to these spears if they know of them.

Thanks

Gav

[Dom]

Originally Posted by freebooter

There are numerous references, written and visual, pertaining to Mamluk armour, swords, metalwork, paper, glass, ceramics etc but as yet I have not been able to find any "real examples" of the spears or even spear heads they carried except for a few battle standards.

I have viewed many depictions of these spears/lances in lithographs and drawings of old but have been unable to find any within museums or catalogues....I know they are out there though.

Can anyone help point me to these spears if they know of them.

Thanks

Gav

Hi Gav
I never saw either; in Egypt, in auctions in France,
I'm not referring to museums, the ones in Cairo is very poor, as well as Damascus, Tehran
I don't remember have seen a lance in Topkapi Palace (Turkey)

I found this description; "Egyptian Mamluk" in full armor and armed with lance, shield, sabers and pistols.

incredible variety of weapons, and protections on this Mamluk
- a helmet "Kulah Khud"
- a pair of "Bazu-Band"
- a shield
- a spear
- a yatagan (on hand)
- a kilij may be "Pala" (suspended at belt)
- a pair of pistols in their cases
- a second yatagan (at side the scabbard of the first)
- a dagger "bicak" (?)

terrible

à +

Dom

[Gavin Nugent]

Thanks Dom,

Great image, I did see that one on Wiki, another artists rendition of a heavily armed soldier.
Interesting that you too noticed there are no spears or spear heads where you have looked...

It seems almost every horseman had one or two of these in artists works but none are to be found anywhere...even some of the best catalogues on Mamluk metalware only show a single Alam rather than a fighting spear????

Another interesting point to note is that is seem to only be later western artists who depict these spears in numbers, the Manluk art of the period that I have viewed shows very few spears pictured...

Very ponderous.....


Anyone have any ideas


Gav

[Gavin Nugent]

There is mention of several complete examples remaining in the Topkapi Sarayi Muzesi, Istanbul.....I guess they must be away from display Dom??....I'd love to be able to see them in their complete form....

Gav