Caltrops - a Device Built After Nature

Matchlock · 6th July 2012, 06:56 PM

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

Matchlock · 6th July 2012, 06:58 PM

More.
m

Matchlock · 6th July 2012, 07:03 PM

More details from the painting, some heraldic samples, and engravings.

m

Shimmerxxx · 8th July 2012, 08:07 AM

Interesting post, I've never heard of water caltrops before. Thanks for sharing!

VANDOO · 9th July 2012, 01:53 AM

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.

eftihis · 9th July 2012, 08:48 AM

These are from a Venetian fort in Crete!

Dmitry · 9th July 2012, 10:34 PM

Looks like the village elders were put to work. All with white beards and no personal weapons of any sort.

Matchlock · 9th July 2012, 10:46 PM

That was my impression too, Dmitry,

Seems the younger ones were all involved in the fight ...

Best,
m

Dmitry · 10th July 2012, 04:58 PM

Personal details like that underscore the veracity of the subject matter. I love it!

Norman McCormick · 10th July 2012, 05:41 PM

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.

Matchlock · 10th July 2012, 06:02 PM

Gang Warily - a witty motto regarding caltrops!

Thanks for the brilliant contribution, Norman!

Best,
m

Andi · 26th September 2023, 08:35 PM

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

werecow · 27th September 2023, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andi

After a first one hour trial,

Andi · 27th September 2023, 08:29 PM

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.

Edward C. · 29th September 2023, 03:32 AM

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.

Andi · 2nd October 2023, 07:05 PM

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.

6th July 2012, 06:58 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More. m Attached Images

6th July 2012, 07:03 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More details from the painting, some heraldic samples, and engravings. m Attached Images

9th July 2012, 01:53 AM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	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. Attached Images

9th July 2012, 08:48 AM	#6
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 507	These are from a Venetian fort in Crete! Attached Images

9th July 2012, 10:34 PM	#7
Dmitry Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 607	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.

6th July 2012, 06:56 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Caltrops - a Device Built After Nature 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 Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 6th July 2012 at 09:27 PM.

8th July 2012, 08:07 AM	#4
Shimmerxxx Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Wickford, UK Posts: 54	Interesting post, I've never heard of water caltrops before. Thanks for sharing!

9th July 2012, 10:46 PM	#8
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	That was my impression too, Dmitry, Seems the younger ones were all involved in the fight ... Best, m

10th July 2012, 04:58 PM	#9
Dmitry Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 607	Personal details like that underscore the veracity of the subject matter. I love it!

10th July 2012, 05:41 PM	#10
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,596	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. Attached Images

10th July 2012, 06:02 PM	#11
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Gang Warily - a witty motto regarding caltrops! Thanks for the brilliant contribution, Norman! Best, m

26th September 2023, 08:35 PM	#12
Andi Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Halstenbek, Germany Posts: 203	Iron Soles 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 Attached Images

27th September 2023, 08:29 PM	#14
Andi Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Halstenbek, Germany Posts: 203	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.

29th September 2023, 03:32 AM	#15
Edward C. Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 15	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.

2nd October 2023, 07:05 PM	#16
Andi Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Halstenbek, Germany Posts: 203	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.