Artwork Page for Pricked Spur

Details / Information for Pricked Spur

Pricked Spur

1200s

Spain

Medium
steel
Measurements
Overall: 19 x 8.4 cm (7 1/2 x 3 5/16 in.)
Weight: 80 g (2.82 oz.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1953
Public Domain
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Location
210A Armor Court
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Did You Know?

Before they were made of metal, the earliest spurs were probably thorns that were attached to the back of the heel.

Description

The spur was an essential part of the knight's equipment. Fastened to his heels by means of straps and buckles, it was used to prod a horse into action. This example represents the oldest type recorded, the "pricked" spur, so-called because its neck terminated in a spike. The pricked spur was replaced during the Middle Ages by the "rowel" spur, with a rotating spiked wheel.
A dark steel spur features a horizontal, U-shaped band with arms extending left, each ending in twin vertical openings. A long, straight neck juts from the center toward the right, terminating in a sharp, four-sided pyramid. The heavily pitted metal creates a rugged, bumpy texture throughout. Sharp geometric edges meet a weathered finish, with light glinting off the dark, corroded peaks and valleys of the steel's irregular surface.

Pricked Spur

1200s

Spain

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