Iron Spears of the Balkan Syginnae Type from the Central Balkans : (inspired by R. Vasić)

Abstract

The paper addresses a particular type of iron spears which are found in the territory of Central Balkans in the period between the 6th and the 5th century BC, and which could broadly be classified as pike-like spears. As it follows in the paper, this particular type of iron spear is not uncommon in the wider area of European continent during the 1st millennium BC, and later it evolves into the Roman pilum, and specific Medieval pike-like spears. It seems as if both the appearance and evolution of such spears in a wider area is relatively concurrent, yet unrelated to each other, and it seems that the appearance of such spears represents a reaction to a more intensified use of defensive warfare equipment. In this paper, the aforementioned type of spear is distinguished from the Cyprian syginnae, which served as a standard for the first example published by R. Vasić back in 1996. Instead, a new and slightly revised term is proposed, containing the adjective Balkan. Such spears are frequently recorded in the Drim and Vardar river valleys and usually made of iron, while the largest examples measure more than 1,2 m in length.