[Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom]

There is a grave stone after Knight Björn Näf here in Sweden in Varnhems church
who have some strange weapon (?) engraved on it,
Have anyone seen or have a photo of something like it?
it looks like a big pointy sharp disk on a club or something,
you can see them on the shield on the photo below.
High res photo here of the grave
Thanks!

[Sean Flynt]

Since these are depicted on a shield, my guess is that they're not meant to be the same scale as the helmet. They look to me like a pair of crossed spurs (viewed from the side). Notice the items conspicuously displayed in this early 14th c. illustration from the Codex Manesse--helmet, shield and spurs, all identified with the knight. Putting them on the shield is just another way to indicate knightly status.

[Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom]

[Sean Flynt]

[Chad Arnow]

I don't know if I'd agree with the spurs line of thinking. Do we know what the graveslab is dated? The 14th century saw the transition from prick spurs to roundel spurs I believe. The form of the great helm makes me think it's earlier in the century when roundel spurs might have been less common than prick spurs. Plus the motif is repeated on the helm's crest.

Does anyone know what the family name means or what their motto is? That might clue us in. Sometimes, those things are directly related to the heraldic crest motifs. Roger Trumpington had trumpets on his. Sir Robert de Setvans had fans on his (a loose play on the French term for seven fans).

It could be a stylized mace. Or a stylized fan/windmill of some kind. I'm not sure.

[Stefan Hanson]

Hello mr Lindblom,

Those "spurs" are actually tools used for punishment ( torture even ?) and are called "färla" in medieval swedish.
Never seen one preserved but they seem to be consisting of a metal spur with sharpened cutting edges fitted on a shaft. The size would be about 40 cm. They figure quite often in Heraldry but I have no idea of their symbolic meaning.
As you are living in sweden you would be able to find the heraldic books by Jan Raneke. Maybe they could answer what the symbolic meaning is .Are you going to build one ?

bye

Stefan H

[Chad Arnow]

Are we talking about this Bjorn Naf: http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bj%C3%B6rn_N%C3%A4f

If so, he lived in the late 13th century. maybe into the 14th.

[Anders Lindkvist]

Easily, this is the first evidence of pizza and pizzarollers in Sweden. Perhaps a type QII or QIIa by Marios typhology. Note the rather clean hilt with just small decorations. Similar objects can be seen in heraldry in northern Burgundy between 1235-1314. I heard that it was a recent archaelogical find from York as well dating from early 13th century with pattern-welded wheel and wiregrip, still waiting for the paperreport though...



Pardon my bad sense of humour, could not resist...
I think it´s spurs, sure look like it...

[Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom]

[Chad Arnow]

If he lived in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, I don't think rowel/roundel spurs were common then, though they were around. I doubt they're spurs.

[Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom]

[Chad Arnow]

Do you know his family motto or the meaning of his last name? That might help figure out what those things are.

[Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom]

Can't find any family motto, other Näf family's have one lion on a blue shield,
but Näf those day can be like Näs or Näv,
From sv/eng book
Näv = Fist (eng) Näv+e (sv)
Näs = Neck of land/Headland/isthmus (eng) Landremsa/Landtunga/Udde (sv)

[Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom]

In my search of that strange weapon i found a old topic in Historiska Världars forum
of all places, small world huh!
allot of same stuff pop up there to, pizzarollers and on & on, but not a word about spurs
there have been pictures to but those links are dead, so there are proof that they was in use
in painting's and on other grave's, if i understand it right they was not so usual on battle field
but they was there, not only here in Sweden, so those 40cm sound's trustable who mr S.H talks about,
no doubt they have search & try for some kind of new type of weapon when armor and all have been
stronger and better and fights more brutal and longer.

Lets see what future show us about this strange weapon.

[Merv Cannon]

For what ts worth........they look to me like all the illustrations I have seen of early medieval.........
...........Fans !
They're prob. not.....but just thought Id throw it in and see what you all think.
Cheers