Throwing spears - telæ / javelins / darts / gafolc
Spears are used for thrusting in the hand and also as throwing weapons. Many spears were probably used in both ways. Only the heavier, longer spears could not be thrown - at least at close quarters.
From 'The Battle of Maldon' poem we have a great picture of spears used to throw at close quarters:
From 'The Battle of Maldon' poem we have a great picture of spears used to throw at close quarters:
|
'Flashed a dart from Danish hand,
fist-driven, and flew too truly, bit the Earl, Æthelreds's thane. There stood at his side a stripling warrior, young Wulfmær, Wulfstan's son, fresh to the field. In a flash he plucked from its place the blood-black point, flung back the filed spear, again it flew. Home sank the steel, stretched on the plain him who so late had pierced the Prince so grievously.' lines 150ff Michael Alexander,Penguin 1977 |
A Homeric struggle-maybe even the Maldon poet had this famous forebear in mind ?
|
Spears are thrown in ancient warfare and tribal warfare. Everyone threw them and specialists threw them. They were for chucking at attackers from besieged walls, for skirmishing at a distance, for piling through shields and armour and for slaughtering horses or for sniping. Throwing spears were everywhere in warfare.