Cleveland Museum of Art

Pricked Spur

Date

1200s

Medium

steel

Culture

Spain

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

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 knight’s status was closely related to his horse; as a result spurs became a symbol of chivalry and could be given as a token during a knighting.

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