Spread of weapon design throughout time...

[Jason Chambers]

Recently, I was viewing a documentary about the Civil War. It was mostly about old relics and weapons. One of the collectors had, in her possession, a weapon that was said to have been used by foot soldiers against the Cavalry.

It looked like a kyoketsu shoge mounted on a pole.

How do you think the concept made its way East to the soldiers in America? Was it a design unique to Japan? Did the design originate in Europe or elsewhere? Or did the concept of some weapons just simply “occur” to a people (culture) like the use of the stick? Look at the bow and arrow for example… Its use can be found in practically every culture known to man.

Curious.

[Baio]

the hooked spear that you saw is basically common in every culture and could serve a variety of purposes like being used parts of burning buildings you still see it in modern firehouses.

[Jason Chambers]

Yes, I know that; but isn't interesting that cultures that are, for the most part, totally different from one another share a common intellect when it comes to design of tools?

[dopefish]

Necessity is the mother of invention. Or so im told. They just go with what works. I think the hook was used to drag riders off when they got past the tip and to snare arms and such. I also have a sneaking suspicion that the shoge blade was originally a spear head converted for easier carrying.