Bohemian earspoon

English

The head of an earspoon, showing the spearhead and the ears.

Alternative forms

• Bohemian ear-spoon, Bohemian ear spoon

Etymology

The weapon originated in Bohemia, the two protruding stops or lugs at the base of the weapon's head were likened to ears, and the entire spearhead with ears was fancifully likened to an earspoon (“ear pick”).

Noun

Bohemian earspoon (plural Bohemian earspoons)

1. (historical) A polearm with a long, broad, socketed spearhead, with a guard of two outward-protruding "ears" at the base of the head, used for hunting and in combat.
   • 2014, Carl Granberg, David Perry on Game Design: A Brainstorming Toolbox, →ISBN, page 755:

     Pole arms can be roughly divided into several categories, based on the types of heads they have mounted:

     • Thrusting weapons (awl pike, boar spear, Bohemian earspoon, chauve souris, feather staff, fork, fourche a crochet, korseke, langue, [...] and runca)
   • 2016, Syed Ramsey, Tools of War: History of Weapons in Medieval Times, →ISBN:

     Called originally 'kùsa-scythe' and later "sudlice," it doubled as both a stabbing and cutting weapon, developing later into the "ušata sudlice" — Bohemian earspoon, more suitable for combat — thanks to side spikes (ears), acting as end stops, [as a result of which] it did not penetrate too deep.

Translations

weapon

• Czech: ušatá sudlice
• German: Böhmischer Ohrlöffel