Where They Put SPEARS (and other polearms) When Not Fighting?

Polearms, and particularly spears, have been the predominant hand weapons throughout history, and should be in fantasy, gaming and fiction also. But what did people do with their spears and other polearms when they were not actually using them at that moment?
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[@felis1977]

As any seasoned roleplayer will know - when you're not using your spear you put it in the backpack alongside your spare plate armour, longbow and 5000 gold pieces from the last dungeon you looted ;)

[@lanceknowlton1871]

Along with your extra tack and harness, axes, extra great sword, your 10 ft pole, 100ft rope, eight flasks of oil, 24 torches, 17days of food, 2 gallons of water, 4 bottles of wine. Keg of ale, bag of grain for your horse, wheel of cheese, small pavilion, 7 javlins, healers bag, 15 potions, 8 daggers, your pike, broad sword, short and long sword, the painting worth 12,000gp, 17264cp, 4590sp, 123pp. Might have forgot a few things

[@AaronLitz]

That's what _Bags of Holding_ are for. I always keep careful track of encumbrance.

[@3.k]

Not to forget that each member of your party carries a copy of the head of the enemy boss you just killed.

[@thefracturedbutwhole5475]

@@AaronLitz Bags of holding are meant to be filled to maximum capacity with blades and then turned inside out right in a dragons face.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

@@thefracturedbutwhole5475 I always thought a bag of holding was meant to be slung next to the pouch holding your portable hole to be used as a weapon of last resort.

[@Zakuznapper]

In scandinavian and Finnish churches the porch is called “weapon house”, the explanation I was given at school was that in medieval times people had to leave their arms there before entering the church proper.

[@Halo_Legend]

Nice, thanks for sharing.

[@edcrichton9457]

I've heard of that for English churches too. But it has been so long I don't know where I heard it.

[@Othurin]

According to a quick google, this is an outdated knowledge that was taught in the past. Both the Swedish church website and wikipedia say the vapenhus were used as guard facilities and for (long term) weapons storage, rather than to uphold social mores of "you can't bring your weapons to church". Interestingly, it's also called waffenhaus in Germany other than here in Scandinavia.

[@OldieBugger]

@@Othurin Germany, Scandinavia... not that much different, are they now?

[@Zakuznapper]

@@Othurin I see, interesting.

[@jellekastelein7316]

"Now remember kids, leaning a poleaxe against the wall can be dangerous!" *Immediately leans poleaxe against the wall*

[@bentrieschmann]

So true

[@WingMaster562]

Something something, do as I say, not as I do

[@screenaholic]

I'm an infantry veteran, I'd like to point out that leaning our weapons together in a "rifle teepee" is still done today, when we don't have anywhere clean to lay our rifles in the field.

[@onelongwordable]

Do you have to do a countdown when you need to pick them back up? I would definitely forget and just yank my gun and knock down the whole thing

[@brendandor]

@@onelongwordable you just need one person to hold it whilst the others take their weapons.

[@ftdefiance1]

I haven't stacked arms in 35 years but that's true. We did this mostly in training for example outside certain mess halls

[@andrews.5212]

Exactly or if the weapon got a biped you just lay them on the biped with someone guarding them

[@richardjohnson4052]

I found that the 'teepee' with an M-16 to be a nightmare to accomplish. I'd love to see one with the new M-5.

[@koosh138]

Even storing a bo staff for Karate, we've noticed that it's typically a bad idea to just lean the staffs against the walls because they'll slowly pick up a bend/warp.

[@-Zevin-]

This happened with my waxwood staff. I hear steam heating it can allow it to be reformed but I don't have the means to do that.

[@louisvictor3473]

Wood is a complicated material and the way it reacts to change in humidity/moisture around it, including the air be it a seasonal change or a more spontaneous one. So it could also just be that.

[@blackdeath4eternity]

@@-Zevin- you dont own a kettle?

[@-Zevin-]

@@blackdeath4eternity Is it really that simple?

[@gabrielrivard3332]

@@-Zevin- a kettle, some aluminium foil and/or a piece of tubing that won't melt and you've got a makeshift steamer for your staff, provided the wood is bare

[@karllehne8441]

I swear to god... Matt is escalating on that inuendos... cementing the silver fox of hema status.

[@Stormin_Norman_1066]

The silver stubble is definitely helping some too. lol

[@klarthkoken1925]

Plausible deniability abandoned.

[@spoonerbooner]

He was having fun with it. Wasn't he?

[@sclark9011]

Thy rod and thy staff doeth comfort me. once a knight always a knight but 4 times a night is quite enough, so they tried to wench it out of my hands witch maid it much more pleasurable. A comely wench can tighten one's nuts so remember to always sheath your sword before getting out of your armour and slipping into something more comfortable.

[@richardjohnson4052]

In Game of Thrones, when the giant made it into the tunnel of the ice wall, he was attacked by men with swords. Even then, I thought, "get some freaking l9ong spears and poke at him from out of his reach".

[@ramboturkey1926]

i haven't been able to find a place to put my shaft for years thanks for the tips

[@WingMaster562]

Ikr? It's really a hassle put away your hard wood when not in use

[@datadavis]

I put mine where the sun dont shine years ago and never found it again🤷🏿‍♂️

[@Mont1.]

@@datadavis Happens to the best of us

[@schwadevivre4158]

Storage, there is the Irish saying of "keeping the pike in the thatch." Also if guarding a merchant moving goods by cart the side of the cart would be a good option

[@ivanharlokin]

Sounds like sexual innuendo to me :)

[@paavobergmann4920]

@@ivanharlokin what traditioanl saying really isn´t ? ;-)

[@JesseP.Watson]

There is a fish called a pike... And if you poached it from a river...

[@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367]

When stroing bows and spears in the thatch-if waxed and wrapped it will stabilise the humidity in the timber as the thatch is more consistant in humidity in all seasons than the room. It stops it warping.. As long as its a clean thatching clear of insects and the items protect and waxed.. I guess it also hades it from theives and confiscation but hiding in the rafters would do it too but it would dry it out. People were dumb, a warped spear or bow is almost useless

[@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367]

​The rooms arnt big in northern european medieval houses and castles because 1, they had to be heated, 2 - people spent few if any time in them, and people also slept communakky with guests in halls.. The badroom was for private matters

[@dougsinthailand7176]

Don Quixote, FWIW: “…country gentlemen or hidalgos who keep a lance in a rack, an ancient leather shield, a scrawny hack and a greyhound for coursing.”

[@kanrakucheese]

On storing salt near the fire: Smoking salt also imparts additional smokey flavor to food seasoned with the salt. More useful (more noticeable?) nowadays since most cooking doesn’t use flaming wood and needs another way to get smokey flavor. Good alternative to liquid smoke and easily obtained.

[@TubeRadiosRule]

Love smoked salt as a seasoning. We get ours from The Spice House...

[@chonconnor6144]

@Reinhard von Lohengramm bad for you

[@overratedprogrammer]

@@chonconnor6144 liquid smoke is pretty natural

[@chonconnor6144]

@@overratedprogrammer so is heroin

[@christopher7539]

Glad to see I'm the first to see Matt's thick shaft!

[@Pseudobadger]

So ribaldrous!

[@wastelander1988]

But have you grabbed hold of it yet????????

[@christopher7539]

@@wastelander1988 No, but I dodged his thrust!

[@christopher7539]

And I noticed that it had a capital M on bottom!

[@wastelander1988]

@@christopher7539 I prefer to grapple!!!!!!!

[@stevendewell5505]

I once read in the description of the guard room of a Rhine river castle that the roof beams were marked up from the guards sticking the tips into the beam to hold their pole arms out of the way.

[@silverjohn6037]

I'm afraid I can't remember where I saw this but, in one account, they talked about storing halberds outside the house under the thatched overhang of the roof so that they were protected from rain, hidden to a certain extent but still be a place they could be quickly grabbed. From the military side quite a few spears in the classical period had spiked butt caps which could be stuck in the ground to keep them upright and also be used for hammering any corpses on the ground to make sure they were dead and not playing possum without damaging the edge of the head.

[@zorkwhouse8125]

In terms of how/where people would store weapons in those time periods I think I would look at it from a practical standpoint and use a more modern comparison. That would be to take another item that people use/wear outside of the residence but wouldn't use inside - take in the not too distant past, hats. There was a time when most men wore hats out of doors and as a consequence a very common home furniture piece became the hat stand/rack in most people's houses. So, I would think at a time when weapons like these were far more commonly carried about outside but weren't inside that there likely would have been some kind of standardized storing method - perhaps not a rack etc, but at least something that would be common to most residences/buildings that people would recognize as where you'd store weapons. So, this doesn't answer how they specifically would have done it, but I just put forward that there probably was a recognized method/place/household accoutrement that was implemented widely for storing weapons - that likely would have been just as familiar to people as a hat rack would have been. Just for the sake of convenience/familiarity if nothing else - as people then were likely just as inclined toward convenience as people are today.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

Another good example is the storage of things like rifles and snowshoes/skis in areas where lots of snow and cold occur. The snowshoes and skis would most obviously be stored on a porch rather than dragging them indoors. I read something long ago about how, in remote areas in frozen winters, the rifles would be stored outside of the heated house to prevent condensation issues from inside the warmer structure.

[@-Zevin-]

Hey I played Skyrim I know how this works, you just put it in your "inventory" and magically pop it out when you need it. You can even carry 500 weapons at once, you just walk really slow.

[@henrikaugustsson4041]

Silly! You don’t know that at all! Spears don’t exist in Skyrim!

[@imperatorcaesardivifiliusa3805]

I just finished the Odyssey. Were as well as having an armoury, Odysseus had many of his spears and gear hung in his main hall's walls. And so has to get his son to stealthily remove them before he can kill the suitors feasting in his hall. Interestingly one the shields brought out from the armoury was described as covered in mold. Suggesting even that wasn't full proof against time. How much does temperature fluctuations effect wood? I'm always paranoid of my axehafts stored in my shed encase they form cracks on hot days. Idk if inside a house would be more stable temperature as well as moisture level.

[@AggelosKyriou]

Pre-classical Greek shields typically had a rawhide cover which molds easily. As a Greek teacher myself this whole episode of Odysseus preparation to attack is used to point out that Penelope's suitors were lazy and unworthy men who didn't even bother to practice with the weapons as was expected of every free man of the time, not just the nobility. This also ties into bringing out the bow that no suitor can string because again they're slobs who don't know the proper method.

[@ctrlaltdebug]

Ah yes, Odysseus the original gun-grabber: "The steel itself incites one to violence."

[@imperatorcaesardivifiliusa3805]

@@AggelosKyriou True yet the shade of Agamemnon refers to them as “All the best men in the city” and is shocked at their death presuming they died all at sea or in battle.

[@ctrlaltdebug]

Also Odysseus was the first mass shooter in a weapon-free zone.

[@AggelosKyriou]

​@@imperatorcaesardivifiliusa3805 Agamemnon was deplorable himself so his opinion on this issue is obviously biased. They got what they deserved since they tried to force a widow to marry one of them who would thus take the throne that rightfully belongs to her son (assuming Odysseus was indeed dead). The "best men" would never do such a thing.

[@the5arge438]

This video speaks to me! At the last LARP event I was at, everyone knew exactly where I was because my polearm would be leaning against the building just outside the door frame.

[@simonyin9229]

matt talked a lot about safety considerations when leaning the weapon on a wall, which made me wonder about sheathing. I dont have any experience handling medievel weapons, but i do own a nice axe for wood cutting that came with a simple leather sheath so you can safely carry it. how common were such sheaths for pole axes and spears? you could even oil inside of the sheath to protect from dampness no?

[@mandowarrior123]

The issue is you don't need a special sheath, any pouch or wrap can work, covered in fat or oil, so we have no idea how common they are something like goose fat or wax would work i think, it may be better to let it dry without a cover if waxed, we don't know. All sorts of lacquers could be used. In iconography they are mostly exposed, but that might be a visual choice so we know what it is which is the medieval preference. Its possible the spearheads were detatched, which is difficult to differentiate from a staff.

[@ThatGuy182545]

It’s not the length of your shaft that matters. It’s how you wield it and what you do with the tip.

[@Wildeheart79]

And the context ;-)

[@aS-df8zj]

Remember to keep it blunt, otherwise it could be life threatening....even it is not in combat.

[@Wildeheart79]

@@aS-df8zj But if it's blunt how do you achieve maximum penetration when thrusting? ;-)

[@ptonpc]

Just the tip and only for a minute.

[@Wildeheart79]

@@ptonpc I'm sure your wife agrees wholeheartedly

[@Aconitum_napellus]

I wonder if hanging pole arms above fireplaces evolved into hanging rifles and long guns above fireplaces.

[@stoicshield]

I might not have any concrete evidence for it, but I'm 100% convinced it did. Same concerns with rifles as with polearms, even more so if you remember that iron rifle parts for the longest time weren't rust-proof and a rusty rifle is a much, much bigger problem than a rusty spear head. Not to mention it simply is a good place to store a rifle if you have to get to it in a hurry, since you probably keep the area in front of the fireplace relatively clear anyways.

[@TrollDragomir]

@@stoicshield Probably even earlier with match and flintlock rifles, where you had to keep the lock completely dry in order to be able to fire it. If it ever got damp drying it out was not a matter of seconds or minutes, and that's how fast you might have needed your trusty musket in these times.

[@roysutherland9729]

Keep your powder dry!

[@arx3516]

​@@stoicshieldi thought they did it only to display it. A nice rifle can be good decoration when not in use.

[@819ANT]

I have the same issue wifey falls over my shaft often accidently hit the cat with it also. She's discovered a special spot where it can be tucked away though so that's good.

[@johnjames1374]

I hope it never gets moldy or the head rusty. 😟

[@crispinhenthorn5318]

@@johnjames1374 the special spot, or the shaft?

[@virtuallyreal5849]

I love how many innuendos are in all of Matt’s videos.

[@evilwelshman]

Actually.... I wonder if lobbing the pole-arm at the enemy was done more frequently than simply dropping it on the ground. With the latter, especially when if you're on the move, I would imagine the falling shaft runs the risk of tripping up the horse's legs.

[@iainburgess8577]

Yes, but throwing any weapon becomes more specific & situational (specific advantage vs disadvantages) W increased size &/or weight. A cumbersome 16ft pike? No. An 8 ft spear, maybe, especially to get it under their feet & out of yours, or to cause hesitation or tactical advantage; but if you have enough space to throw it, you want it in your hands for skilled use (especially against a mounted opponent). A short toss into their face as you close is probably best, to give you that 30 seconds to get a dagger out, close into that range & go at it. (You don't have room to get a sword out at that range, and wouldn't carry it as a sidearm to a polearm) Throwing it forward while riding, you're unlikely to out-throw the pace of your horse, so throwing forward is more dangerous, as odds are it bounces & in the horse's feet. Dropping back & to the rear would be better, and a toss over the hindquarters so it has airtime untill the horse is clear better still.

[@speakupriseup4549]

The Italians have gone with dropping their weapons for centuries.

[@megasuperhyperspeed]

I'd assume they'd generally not drop lances, unless it was for a specific reason, prior to the enemeny getting too close and past the effective range. I can't think of many situations where you'd not be better off waiting and jabbing them with the lance rather than chucking it just before the pointy end becomes effective. My experience of viking reenactmnet; alot of the more experienced spear users, especially with longer spears, would hold a small knife in their off hand. That way if the enemy got too close or you needed to loose the spear asap you'd have your saex ready and waiting.

[@wolfensniper4012]

In many Kazakhstan movie I came across talking about post-Golden Horde countries I noticed that they use the throwing lance technique very often on horseback combat (similar things happened in cases when Chinese or Korean movies depict Nomadic opponents), i could say at least it could be a traditional memory for many Steppe Nomadic cultures. While this is about throwing spears on horseback, I'm also interested in how common in foot combat would someone simply lob his spear like a javelin, Matt himself in his Insider video mentioned that it can penetrate shield but is such practice common?

[@paavobergmann4920]

@@iainburgess8577 If you need 30 seconds to get your dagger out, I´d consider wearing it somewhere else

[@walterscientist]

I know my grandfather would store rakes and similar long farming implements in the rafters.

[@zoe_blackmore]

It is important for an early medieval warrior not to carry their spear upright on the London Underground, it gets jammed between the ceiling and the elevator casing it to crack loudly

[@MootingInsanity]

No harm done, if it breaks evenly you'll get a couple new sleepers to gift the Tube.

[@peregrinemiles7936]

I’m sorry if this has been asked elsewhere, are there surviving examples of “this is Bob’s spear” kind of marks? Or would that mostly be like carved on the shaft/tie a bit of cloth kinda thing, and their for not survive?

[@janapewen362]

If my memory is correct most custom made weapons usually have some kind of engraving, it might have served a practical purpose like this too.

[@mnk9073]

There are lot's of "I belong to X" engravings on, well basically everything, from antiquity way into the rennaisance. There's also lots of religious engravings in Latin (usually hilariously misspelled) on blades.

[@horstherbert35]

marks or engraving on the metal, or branding on the wood, are still done today

[@WingMaster562]

@@horstherbert35 provides no tactical advantage whatsoever Until your mate asks "hey, that's my weapon. Give it back."

[@veraxiana9993]

your mentioning of identification of dropped polearms actually brings up a great oppertunity to for worldbuilders. My first immediate thought was it gives a good excuse for you to add extra artistic detail to each individuals weapon, so for example an entire column of spear wielders but each with a unique paint job on the shaft or something. it makes the world look even more fantastical whilst having a justifiable reason armies would choose to do it other than "it looks cooler"

[@richard6133]

My daughter's current designated home defense weapon is a spear-like implement. It stands in a corner, point-down, in a piece of thick walled PVC pipe that has an end cap. Same idea as an umbrella in an umbrella stand, and the caps on intravenous access needles.

[@taistelusammakko5088]

Do you live in like syria or something

[@richard6133]

@@taistelusammakko5088 Nope. Do you?

[@andreweden9405]

This was a wonderful treat, Matt! I've always stored my spear "Jaffa" (yes, that's her name!😁) vertically, but this made me reconsider. I always keep some sort of foam pad at the butt end, but now I'm worried that that could still promote moisture. Btw, at the Styrian Armoury/Museum in Graz, Austria, there are many Late Medieval staff weapons that still survive in amazingly excellent condition, and (based on photos I've seen) it looks like they're mostly stored horizontally.

[@UnbeltedSundew]

I'm curious if that (horizontal storage) would cause them to sag or bow over time. Unless they were supported through the entire length. I think another option is one of those things to store brooms where there is a gravity clasp on the wall that just holds them vertically but they aren't touching anything else.

[@andreweden9405]

@@UnbeltedSundew , My spear's shaft is made of good, limber, European ash, and yes, it will definitely "droop" if extended with no support. However, regarding storage: it's not that it needs to be supported throughout its length, it just needs to be supported evenly. For example: whatever you're hanging the spear on, whether it be pegs, rafters, etc., just two of them will be sufficient as long as they are evenly spaced. In other words, as long as the spear's weight is evenly distributed across the pegs, rafters, etc. Now, if you had just two supports, but they were located only at the extreme ends of the spear, then it would most definitely droop in the middle!

[@thefracturedbutwhole5475]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHrXfHlprd6Wn5o

[@aasphaltmueller5178]

In the "farmers uprising" (Bauernkrieg)-Museum in Peuerbach in Upper Austria there are some horizontal storage elements from old, with, If I remember correctly, about 5-6 "elements" over the length of the weapon

[@Likexner]

Jaffa Kree!

[@soupordave]

So did the custom of hanging arms and armor in your great hall start out of practical necessity - it's the most dry and warm building in a castle or manor complex so prevents weapons from deteriorating. Of course it may have also been that way because most of the lord's fighting men also slept in the hall and would be close to their weapons in case of attack. Chicken and egg I guess?

[@beowulfshaeffer8444]

As a GM, I really do like the idea of a magic weapon going missing while it's being stored by the town guard or the innkeep. Could be a fun side quest for the players to retrieve it, and might lead to later arguments with npcs over the local weapon laws :)

[@fbalter]

Do keep in mind that little annoys players as much as making them lose their stuff. Killing the character is fine enough. Stealing or destroying their loot, on the other hand, a massive affront. So be careful with it and be sure you have a finger on your group style, mood and trust. And expect them to be highly paranoid on all games after that.

[@beowulfshaeffer8444]

@@fbalter That is kind of the whole point, though. What I am talking about is not equipment consistently and repeatedly going missing at inconvenient times because I regret adding the item to the game or I disapprove of the player's solution to a problem. What I am talking about is having something the player likes go missing and watching them go on a short adventure to track down the missing item and the thief. Plus, if their magic sword went missing that one time, then when they have it back we can all laugh at their increasingly absurd attempts to conceal it from guards and innkeepers :) I don't tend to hand my players an overarching narrative to follow, but instead think of ways to manipulate them into conflicts that they must think their own way out of. Honestly, my players generally get bored of the only conflict being things that want to eat them or things that want to end the world, and their favorite stories to tell are those where I made them have to think and use a creative strategy.

[@beerthug]

@Reinhard von Lohengramm 50yrs old, never played a Druid.

[@dutch6857]

I wonder if in the times of inefficient or no chimneys, storing stuff above the smoke line might also help to keep bugs and mildew away.

[@edi9892]

Most people didn't have chimneys as stone and even bricks were expensive! Smoke would pass through thatching and prevent pests and mold. If at all, they'd have a window or two in the roof rather than a chimney. The latter only came up in regular homes at the end of the middle ages and even in the 17th century, they didn't really had them figured out correctly. A lot of them collapsed, caused smoke inhalation or worst: combustion of smoke!

[@mandowarrior123]

@@edi9892 i disagree, this causes carbon monoxide poisoning. Ventilation was understood. A chimney doesn't need to be stone, either, any ventilation funnel will do. I'm not sure what time has inefficient or no chimneys, they were certainly understood in the classical period and earlier. Its an important factor in early metalwork too. I'll also point out a tiny stone building adjacent can have a fire and you can still use the heat for the rest of the house- hot rocks (large thermal mass), putting the hot ash in pans (even into your bed) and candles produce a little heat. Oil lamps are an oft forgotten heating appliance also. Thatch is also self heating as any farmer knows. You can also make a fire in front of your accomodation- it depends how poor and depraved we are talking. Its possible that these chimneyless didn't have an open fire or it was a summerhouse or storeroom etc. I completely disagree with your characterization that most people lived that way and died of smoke.

[@edi9892]

@@mandowarrior123 Nope. The medieval houses you see today weren't your average ones. There's a lot of survivor bias going on here and don't forget that they were heavily modified over time... Something like a Viking hut had no dedicated hole for fumes. As said, most small huts had one or two roof windows, but they were not above the fireplace. Also, as mentioned before, construction costs made it mostly impossible to build a chimney. If they built one, they built it as small as possible and that risked too low airspeeds, getting clogged, or even the chimney falling over. Plus, many tried to get away with using cheaper stones, which could explode in heat or became crumbly over time... Another cost-saving method that was used over and over again, is that they made the lower part out of stone and the rest of the chimney out of wood! How could this possibly ever go wrong? Smoldering! The examples I've given you were mostly 16th century though and thus NOT medieval. In medieval times hearths were the most common form of fire and they don't have a chimney, regardless of how long ago ancient Romans knew how to build a chimney correctly...

[@theeffete3396]

An entire video on shafted weapons and not a single instance of innuendo. Impressive!

[@arnijulian6241]

Use a reasonably length quarter staff as a walking stick & have a socketed spear head on your personage. Put it on & fit a pin then the hiking/walking stick becomes a shortish spear. A large long shaft like you have might be battle field weapon but I doubt it would be any good for traveling long distance in a civilian capacity.

[@brittakriep2938]

In many german ,Heimatmuseen' ( homeregion museums?) you can see the polearms of former nightwatchmen. In contrast to war versions, the polearms of the civilian nightwatchmen had been shorter.

[@rpgryder1886]

or, you can have your spear fold out like a police baton, sounds like a fun build

[@arnijulian6241]

​@@brittakriep2938 valid point but the swedes had rather large spear for night watch. The British never had night watch but a parish/constable under a sheriff armed with all sorts of smaller arms & armour. Law was often taken into the local towns rule & they would brand criminals for their crimes with letter. M for murder, V for vagrant, T for a thieve & so on. Only by the peelers was formed in 1829 By the MET act hence the metropolitan police. Britain was odd compared to the continent & also any that did petty crimes where separated from society normally from gossiping gaggle of local women. People would not do crime as it would often bring the same disdain to their family members though my family where all criminal, mercenaries & privateers back in the day. You can't be upset at what is in the tin if clearly written. Mind my family never shat where they ate so to speak. people think their are only 3 classes generally in Britain. The low mid & high but mine was a 4th with others specifically being the under class that mingled more with all the classes then any. My family had more highs & lows then a yoyo.

[@Euphoric19]

There’s actually a record of a tribe in my country doing that in the colonial era when they’re entering a town under the Spanish control

[@brittakriep2938]

@@arnijulian6241 : Well the weapons of nightwatchmen had been different in different countries. In Germany mostly Halberds or Partisans, while in Denmark spikes clubs seemed been used.

[@nonna_sof5889]

The bit about gathering from around the country brings an interesting image to mind. You leave your village will a few of your friends, but as you continue on you're meeting people traveling to the same place. So you start out as a few, but end up in a large group by the time you actually get to the castle.

[@chrisb1133]

Hi Matt, thanks for this video - very useful! for the last couple of years I have been writing a novel and discovered your channel in my research, and this is a topic which I have been wondering about for a while. This, as with many of your videos, has been very useful to me, thank you very much!

[@aaronpederson8685]

So, my brain started playing the tune of "What do you do with a Drunken Sailor" but I was singing in my head, "What do you do when you don't need your pole arm? What do you do when you don't need your pole arm some time in the battle? Throw it on the ground and find it later. Throw it on the ground and find it later..." You could totally make this an educational song lol

[@angusmuir6180]

What do you do with a great big polearm? What do you do with a great big polearm? What do you do with a great big polearm? When you're done with fightin'? Pitch it on the ground and find it later Pitch it on the ground and find it later Pitch it on the ground and find it later when you're done with fightin'! Sling it up high in the house's rafters Mount it next to your old man's broadsword Lean it up on your tent til morning When you're done with fightin'! That's the best I got. Could probably flow a bit better if tweaked by a better songsmith than I, but hey, 's the drunken sailor, yeah? Never been a song known for pitch pitch lyrics.

[@kyle18934]

@@angusmuir6180 that was fabulous. thanks for the song and a chuckle

[@capnstewy55]

Kingdom Come Deliverance covered this well in that you couldn't put a pole arm into your inventory, you had to just drop it.

[@role4success]

I've often wondered about this very question. Thanks for answering it.

[@jritchey267]

I would think storing any kind of weapon with the horses in an enclosed space would be a terrible idea, especially over any kind of extended period. It may be convenient in terms of space and accessibility, but there would be certain moisture issues as well as acidity that seem likely to accelerate corrosion even with the weapons elevated. A tack room (where saddles and such are kept, presumably for the same reason) might be an option, but may not have the space.

[@paavobergmann4920]

In the rafters with the hay?

[@iainburgess8577]

Finding your weapon in battle aftermath may have something to do with traditional decoration & (perhaps not so traditional) naming of weapons, maybe? Sure, both took on exaggerated life of their own, but as a practical beginning?

[@WingMaster562]

"I named my weapon Piper because I like the name" "No you didn't, Fallout 4 won't come out until a few years later" "I really named my weapon Piper! How 'bout you, what did you name yours?" "I named mine after the serial number so I won't forget. Good ol' 020438"

[@Joker-yw9hl]

Just realised how new this video is. Huzzah. Also was nice to see you on that video the other day discussing the Troy fight scene etc

[@edwardhaybell1938]

My home has lots of (ceremonial) spears and pole... things. And yeah, we keep them in a shed hanging off two loops of rope. The pole-umbrellas and flags had the fabric part covered in plastic bags for extra safety.

[@Naki728]

The recent videos are really really interesting to Polearm enthusiasts like me, though I mainly teach the Chinese spear, this is still very very enlightening and fun.

[@finn4012]

I have always wondered this. Cheers for this video

[@gordonlawrence1448]

You mentioned Dane axes and mentioned LARP. This reminded me of something hilareous (at the time) in an all weekend LARP session. The dane axe to conform to safety rules had a balsa shaft (stained and varnished to look like teak almost) and the head was foamboard with some exceptionally springy rubber painted silver ish for the blade. I was wearing a HEMA grade helmet (I'd bought it because I liked the look of the thing) and got bonked on the head with the "Dane axe" and the shaft broke right by the head which bounced off and went a good 20 meters off into the distance. Everyone just fell about laughing (we had been drinking a bit at this point). As far as storing at the tavern was concerned then for those on foot there was an over sized eve outside with a horizontal rack for any weapon over 4" long. This was not however based on anything other than "there is nothing to stop it being done like this". As there was seating outside the "tavern" and in real life taverns used to have people drinking outside then that would I think reduce the possibility of the weapons being stolen. Just offering this up as a potential idea.

[@prof.burton8412]

Fascinating. Thanks Matt.

[@benjaminlitzenberger6837]

Great video, quite thought provoking as you said

[@StevenFox80]

Never have I felt more addressed by an opening intro than in this video. Thank you :)

[@RomeoWhiskey692]

I don’t think I’ve heard that many double entendres in one presentation ever ! Congratulations Matt !

[@Assywalker]

"The slow spear penetrates the shield." from "Collected Sayings of Girthy Halleck" by the Princess Irulan

[@stormiewutzke4190]

Super interesting and I think an important thing to add to the discussion. Like so many things small details can really throw of our understanding of history. Like a lot of things when we start to dig in to history we tend to focus on the really fancy flashy bits and forget that those are only effective because of what seems like much more mundane items. In reality as you dig down everything becomes really interesting. I locked right on when started bringing up moisture. This can actually still be a problem butwe don't realize how much technology has gone into dealing with moisture and its usually very inconspicuous. Anything wood will be very impacted and it has a major effect since wood becomes harder when it dries. This means any wood is easier to cut and damage as the moisture level increases. It is also easier to warp. With any long thin pieces of wood if they are left to set for long periods very small amounts of weight will cause them to sag and take set. This means that even when leaning it up against something its important to keep it at a very steep angle to avoid large warps and hanging it is always better. Shafts were probably polls turned on lathes to make them smooth and that means the fibers have not been cut evenly all the way around and the moisture changing back and forth is also likely to cause them to warp. Laying things in ther rafters where they are supported across short spans is also a great way to keep them especially since there is good even air flow around them. Since dry wood is harder it means it better resist compression. Resistance to bending is caused by one side going into compression while the others side goes into tension. So a dry spear will have a much stiffer shaft. If you disagree you are thinking about something else 😉. Bows are where this is critical since a good bow will have everything removed that isn't needed and if its not dry enough the fiber cells on the belly will begin to be crushed and the draw weight will be permanently lowered.it also means that the bow has to be bent further before the back will begin to be pulled into tension meaning it will store little energy for that part of the lower stroke. Since the goal when making a bow is to try to make as much of the material as possible store energy and do work it is now just useless weight that is dragging your bow slower. It means that basically you get a double penalty and even small amounts will cause larger losses in power. It is very easy to make a 100lb bow that is only as powerful as a 30 lb bow. Bowstrings were also natural and could stretch and might be soakes with glue to make them stiffer not fray. Glue is something that we very much take for granted and trying to add things that protect the glue from moisture that don't detract from its properties or strength is still something that chemist are working on. Often when people are talking about wealons of the past they will compare different bows and talk about the technology. However bows were nearly always very high performance but were limited to the material available and the climate. To be able to use some bows special drying boxes had to be brought and a procedure had to be gone through to string the bow. After few weeks in Wet weather they would have failed. Probably sooner. The purest and highest strength glue that they had was what we eat as jello or jelly. Its an incredibly strong gkue and there are still uses for it today and when kept dry can be as strong as epoxy. I also just wanted to say that keeping the moiser correct and even is important for any who are maintaining equipment today. Musicians know very well what the changes do to their equipment. I have broken 2 bows that I made because of improper storage and I did not realize that they were near a heater vent. Besides being dangerous its heartbreaking to loose something nice that a lot of work went into. Thanks for a cool idea

[@Tommiart]

Just a thought on soldiers gathering for muster. I would have thought that as they travelled on main roads they would have gathered large numbers and probably had their own camps en route rather than staying at inns. I don't know if there's any evidence for this though.

[@nath9091]

Maybe. It's a lot to organise and would require a significant bureaucracy to organise camps along various well travelled routes which would probably have a lot of larger inns anyway if its a major route. Also it appears tents were expensive and not very common so at best maybe a local garrison or a field for people to sleep. Even today the US military moves a lot of people around the world on normal commercial flights as they're easier to arrange. There are several flights going between US worldwide bases but you got to get there and if you can claim it back from the military the commercial flight is more convenient, better service and probably cheaper for the military.

[@robwalker4452]

Thoroughly enjoyed this!

[@markfergerson2145]

So in other words, consider logistics. How about monasteries? Knights are known to have overnighted in them. Can we presume their arms were also in the stables?

[@dutch6857]

Abbeys often had gatehouses where guests would 'check in', so you would probably turn them over to the Brother at the door.

[@RomanII1997]

My school was a once cloister, turned school kind of thing and there definitely was a medieval armory. There would be places to store a weapon

[@eddieyoung4124]

enjoyed this. Im a double Bass player...I have the same problem when it comes to travelling and doing gigs!!

[@DGFTardin]

If the title gives you any doubt that it is an innuendo, Matt wastes no time setting things straight

[@jasonhughes1035]

thanks for yet another great video, cheers

[@LuxisAlukard]

That intro was superb!

[@elricthebald870]

Mid September we celebrated out villagers 625th anniversary. Participant's were asked to dress appropriately for the era. I showed up in my early medieval tunic with axe, seax, shield and spear. During the day we all gathered for the unveiling of the newly restored doors if our picturesque little church. Then we went inside. I can tell you; a 2.5 metre (8.2foot) spear in hand and a 80cm (2.6foot) roundshield on your back, was quite a struggle though that small narrow door.

[@RobG001]

Matt is so right, Pembroke Castle is some 2 miles from where i live and the room are surprisingly small. The circular stone stairs are ridiculously tight/narrow and steep , presumably to make them easy to defend from above.

[@mandragoradravgis]

Hey Matt, after years of expecting it you finally popped up on my facebook Watch feed: Entertainment Insider's video "Pole Weapons Expert Rates 9 Polearm fights in Movies and TV." Cheers.😆

[@kaylaa2204]

This was useful. I'm going to be joining some friends for a D&D campaign and my character uses a staff, that can either be used magically or as a quarterstaff, and I asked myself this question. "If I want to put it down to have that hand free, where do I put it?" and my first answer was "well I guess the quickest way is to literally drop it on the floor, but surely theres a better way" and no tabletop groups I'm in had a satisfactory answer so I instead searched for historical explanations for what a real soldier did in this instance. And thats how I found this video.

[@yuyuyu25]

I always wondered how weapons and armour were carried when travelling or marching. Did people have to hold/wear them the whole time?

[@rogerlafrance6355]

A knight and his men at arms, archers, squires, pages and servants would most often have a cart or more to carry armor, weapons, tents and food when traveling or giving the King Service and of course, to haul the booty home.

[@dilen754]

I am pretty sure they didn't, because from personal expirience it is a PAIN to have armor on for many hours. There of course were cases when they have to. For example we have accounts from Henry V campaign l of Agincourt. It is said that his man-at-arms were brown from constantly walking and even sleeping in armor as they were under a threat of attack. But that is as well an evidence that such cases were exceptional as they were specially mentioned. Normally you have carts and pack animals. And there were even instructions of 15-16 centuries for the officers to watch their soldiers marching with their polearms and firearms, as they constantly trying to leave them in carts which makes them vulnerable to surprise attacks.

[@cm275]

Most evidence is that the Roman Legions marched in armor and carried packs of personal gear. They used wagons for tents, supplies, siege equipment, etc. As for medieval armies, I’m not sure about that.

[@Jamoni1]

@@dilen754 As a former squad leader in the Army, it's nice to know soldiers haven't changed for hundreds of years. I'm sure those same treatises mentioned going around to the guard posts at night and kicking the idiots awake.

[@bowercreates2999]

I seem to remember that Roman spears had a metal cap on the back end and the name translated to "lizard killer" part of the purpose of that was that it would not draw moisture from the ground when leaned on something.

[@Blake_Stone]

Where you sheathe or store your weapons is a very common topic among the HEMA channels, I have to say whenever the question comes up my first thought is usually "on the pack mule, or in the wagon train, or back at your house".

[@motagrad2836]

Writing RPGs here, so thank you very much and now I am thinking about cattle designs I have seen that's included stables and thus possibly a stone building or at least foundation

[@sealpiercing8476]

Presumably the interest anyone would have in getting their spear back after a battle would have a lot to do with how expensive it was, how wealthy they are and whether or not they can replace it promptly, from spares or otherwise. Especially considering that spears seem somewhat perishable in battle proper, though only finitely _more_ perishable than the ones using them, on the occasions that battle occurs.

[@FirstNameLastName-okayyoutube]

when i go hiking with my quarterstaff i found a few good ways to slap a strap around it with no knot that lets me turn it up as needed to clear obsticals and even walk into buildings and just twist it so it at a 85 degree angle from its horzontal resting spot. which goes slightly behind my back. it uses up a lot of space if standing in lines at a theme park, but walking a reasonably wide worn animal path it is easy to twist and pull free as needed.

[@nagamalaya4232]

Well in Southeast Asia, during the time when the warriors are not fighting, they will detach the spearhead and attach it to a short palm-length (from the tip of the middle finger to the wrist level) handle and then keep it at the back of their sash, while the spear shaft will be used as a walking stick when travel. This is how the tradition of wearing the Keris at the back comes from which was started by the Javanese, but because of the constant war and assassination in the Malay regions like Peninsular Malaysia, Southern Thailand, Sumatera Island, Southern Philipines, and others, most Malay men will wear the Keris at the front of their sash. Btw standard length of a Malay and Javanese spear is the same height as the owner's body which symbolizes who is the owner but it can get shorter are longer base on the spear style. The other way to know who is the owner is by looking at the shape of the spearhead and its Pamor. Salam From Malaysia 🙏😁

[@lamebubblesflysohigh]

Inns had rafters too ;-) Nobles had servants so it was easier for them... they either surrendered their horse and lance to the innkeeper/host and his stables and their servant looked after them and if this wasn't possible, their servant simply stayed with them outside. Servants also carried them around in between battles ;-) Ordinary soldiers probably carried their spear to and from battle on their shoulders and in between battles a.k.a when they marched for 4 days and no battle was expected they probably loaded them on wagons. Alternatively they could have take turns and carry 2 spears... one was their own and the other one belonged to their buddy who carried them for few hours later.

[@annasolovyeva1013]

I'm a Russian, i live in a relatively small flat and i have hooks on my (closed) balcony to hang up my skis under the ceilings. Another typical thing is to put them into a corner behind a wardrobe placed diagonally in the corner. Traditional medieval houses of my country would have cold entrance rooms called seni which would serve as a storage place for instruments and weapons that you could use against some bandits knocking your door. An axe is a thing to 100% be there both for firewood and bad people. A spear or a bow is most likely to be there too, hanged up.

[@FranssensM]

Phalanx or pikemen had a tough time. Er innkeeper have you anywhere to store about 4 dozen 18 foot pikes. Yes, I know it’s an inconvenience. Yep I’m sorry we didn’t mention it in the booking. It was my serf who contacted you, I’ll have him flogged later. It’s just that there’s no room at the place with the big barn attached and I like the view out the back from this room.

[@antoniooliveira139]

I can only talk about the Portuguese side of things. In Portugal, it was the single most widespread weapon in the kingdom, as it was in most of Europe. But these weapons were kept at home. For exemple, we have 15th century municipal ordinances for merchants in the city of Évora which required them to have a spear and a shield at the ready by the door of their shop/home, in case of trouble (Regimento de Évora, 'titollo dos que am de teer lanças e scudos e as penas'). There are some 15th century manuscript illustrations showing hafted weapons on a sort of rack built into beams right over doors (a particularly good example of one turns up in a manuscript of Valerius Maximus); more likely, however, spears just lay against a corner near the door.

[@Sorenzo]

In Denmark, we also have an open-air museum featuring authentic historic buildings, it's in Aarhus. It's called "The Old City" and growing up as a kid I didn't even realize it was a museum, lol. It's pretty impressive and it's just near the botanical gardens and a huge tropical greenhouse.

[@guessundheit6494]

On a battlefield, were there camp followers who entered the fray, picking up dropped spears or other weapons for later retrieval? If your side has a thousand spears, and advance for hand to hand combat after the first wave is over, you'd probably want someone picking up your spears if you're forced to beat a hasty retreat (i.e. not lose them, not trip on them).

[@davidevescovini5169]

Very good question! As a re-enactor I wondered about the same question. If I get caught in a short range, phalanx-like, melee battle and I could not use my lance because the range is now too close, I would rather pass it to the warrior in the line behind me so he could use it from the 2nd or the 3rd line while I hold up the line in the front. Better give it to an ally than throwing it behind the enemy lines where an enemy could throw it back to me!

[@RichardGoth]

Hang pikes and lances in the church bell tower, that way they stay straight. Actually saw a few old lances stored in a church tower on the Camino de Santiago

[@Icewolf81]

A good video and an interesting topic. But could you please set up an post with name and/or a link to the open air museum you mentioned. Best regards from Germany.

[@wouter.de.ruiter]

Another option for spears: stick it in the thatch. It'll keep the spear dry and easy to grab. For a halberd it may be difficult, but a spear can easily be inserted in the thatch.

[@Jacob-W-5570]

that's is not easy, thatch to function as a roofing material is tightly packed and secured with bindigns at regular interfalls, you sticking a spear into it will create a channel for water to come into and probably break several of the bingdings.

[@tyree9055]

@@Jacob-W-5570 What are your thoughts on resting them upon the rafters or "roofing joists" (for a lack of a better word)?

[@brittakriep2938]

Some years i, no collector, could visit a meeting of region group of a german collectors society. A speaker spoke about lanceflags of german cavallry before 1918. He said, the ( in case of german imperial lances) steeltube made lancepoles had been stored in ,racks' , where the shaft was laying on three points.

[@johnsmithe4656]

Oh man, the opening...... he really leans right into it, doesn't he. Also, I just answered your question.

[@ianhelyar6383]

You've filled my head with ideas for storing my... fishing rods!

[@MagavKavod]

In the movie "The Lost Bladesman (2011)" about Guan Yu, there's a nice scene where he takes out his Guan Dao from stowage on the side of his wagon.

[@evanplanas]

Small rooms even for kings were easier to heat with a fireplace.

[@brianhowe201]

Yes, the laws of thermodynamics bow to no man.

[@FirstNameLastName-okayyoutube]

Another method ive used when climbing was to have a modified rock sling hold the base of the pole and then have that tied to a sling. Sort of like a back banner holder. It getd annoying while walking but leaning forward at all ( cause i usually do even on stairs out of habit) the staff isnt a burden

[@gadlicht4627]

An interesting thing to cover maybe what to do when various weapons broken or damaged and you don’t have access to full repair or to buy new one? On battle field or perhaps campaigning and have some downtime but not enough money/materials/skilled artisans with equipment, or if you can’t just afford full repair and not planning to fight but want to fix it somewhat

[@MartinGreywolf]

Storing polearms in rafters is a thing even in tents - a small A cross-section tent may well use them as a stick that holds up the roof (or stuffed parallel to the stick that holds the roof), the larger tents, the kind you see re-enactors in, usually have wooden rafters, a sort of disc UFO thingy that spokes radiate from to make the gap between tentpole and tent wall bigger. You can put all sorts of things there, from polearms to your fancy brocade dress when you have to change into armor. If you can't fit the polearm into tent rafters, you can use a piece of string to hang it from said rafters near the tent pole, if the tent is tall enough. This also works with trees and whatnot, but then you have to worry about evening and morning dew, rain and all sorts of things. Protecting the weapon from that is best done by throwing some sort of fabric over it as well as oiling it (and treating the wood with boiling wax or oil), but it's hardly perfect. And as far as indetification goes, painting and carving are a thing. You don't have to engrave anything into steel, a bit of paint on the shaft, or a few minutes with a knife, and you have your identification mark - one that will not survive easily in achaeological record on account of decomposition.

[@BalbazaktheGreat]

I always wondered how the "dual-armed men" - like the Persian Immortals - were supposed to do with their long spears while they were shooting and vice versa. Jam them into the ground, I guess? What do they do with the bows?

[@mandowarrior123]

I will point out the immortals probably weren't dual armed in combat, but on parade, their equipment was brought in vast caravans. The depictions are explicitly in their non combat attires. Immortals expressly used short spears. In other circumstances archers carrying long spears used as stakes dug into the ground to discourage cavalry. Its possible the immortals used standing shields, they were wicker and leather, suggesting large anti projectile use but i've not seen the shields in iconography. It would be very logical, as the immortals were ranged weapon specialists. Its also possible they were cavalry too. Bows are universally dropped before melee, so they're on the ground. The exception is horse archers with bow sheaths probably resheathed them. Oh and immortals used silver and officers gold butt spikes on their spears. This could go either way in making it less likely they were staked or more likely as they won't rust. It could even be the short spears were for javelin and they were 'ranged only' using their swords and daggers for melee. Early gunpowder use saw long axes and similar used as monopods to help hold the arquebuses, russian and portugese to my memory, probably most at that period. Outside of cavalry archers there arn't that many examples o be honest, its a lot of gear to have multiple large weapons. Romans went from spear to javelin as they probably found this a common problem. Ship combat is pretty obvious, shields strapped to sides, spears and bows racked, if you can box any metal out of the sea spray. I don't know if they put them in an oil barrel, but that sort of thing was done later. Not sure if bronze lasted longer in naval combat vs land. That's about as comprehensive as my knowledge permits.

[@BalbazaktheGreat]

@@mandowarrior123 Thanks for this interesting response. I had been under the impression the Immortals used long spears, but I guess that was incorrect.

[@hellequingentlemanbastard9497]

I have in my Man-cave/Pub a rack for my pole-arms, they are off the ground and stand up-right with a rope strung across the heads to keep them from falling over if someone knocks them while fiddling around. I wanted to have them vertically, just not enough space. We know that each and everyone that visits your home will start fiddling with your weapons-collection.

[@-RONNIE]

Good video 👍🏻

[@UnholyTerra]

Getting more and more schoolboy with the shaft humor every few videos, love it.

[@andrewsuryali8540]

If you're mustering, usually you're either a knight or lord bringing his retinue or, more likely, a member of such retinue. You wouldn't have been traveling to the muster point alone. In that case, wouldn't the polearms have been loaded onto the retinue wagon? IIRC there are actual records of such wagons' contents being tallied to judge the knight's fitness to join the army. Even mercenaries would have traveled in bands or gangs. When staying the night at an inn or town, just leave the wagon outside with a few guards taking turns.

[@Arachnoid_of_the_underverse]

We dont want no "bills" Matt 😅 With regard to the steel, it can be heated and coated with bees wax which will provide years of protection from erosion.

[@Hans-cp2eb]

Wonder if you ever heard about the "Zeughaus" in Graz/Austria. Its a museum full of stuff you explain so well. Think its worth a blink.

[@anthonyjbargeman5280]

I enjoy and train with both speer and halberd. I also have a longsword. But I'm not as young as I once was. What are your thoughts on a hand and half arming sword ?

[@darrylviljoen6227]

I've been wondering recently, if it was possible to use a polearm like a bindle (hobo stick) or furca (Roman legionaries carrying pole) but in a way that would let the load be quickly removed so it can be used

[@tombayley7110]

Tod of Tod's workshop talked about weapons display racks he made for dover castle. They were specifically made so that the weapons could NOT be removed, but I wonder if he did any historical research for his basic design?

[@WJS774]

And now that you've mentioned it, I'd love to know if there are any examples in the historical sources about how people would identify their weapons when they needed to.

[@roelantverhoeven371]

what is that open air museum called? we have one like that in Belgium too, Bokrijk, in the Limburg province, it holds houses, mills and even churches.. and a castle from all over the Flemish region.