Art in an Early Global World at WAM: A WAM/College of the Holy Cross CollaborationMain MenuAmanda Luyster17d39c1ecea88fb7ff282fe74a410b89478b8327Created by the Worcester Art Museum and the College of the Holy Cross, with the Worcester Public Schools AP Art History class of 2024. Financial support provided by the Medieval Academy of America and "Scholarship in Action" at Holy Cross.
Lance Head for Jousts of Peace
12024-03-28T13:30:36-07:00Richard Lent3e723f35a685aebf07b8b602f188f085f3fa0c8f448013One of Four Lance Heads for the Tournament, c. 1500 CE, Germany, Metropolitan Museum of Art ,14.25.439; 42.50.38–.40.plain2024-08-15T11:35:21-07:00Zoe Zimmer726b0bce27fe407b566d2fd9122871e9e9ddcf50
Jousting armor, like the WAM's Stechzeug, was made to protect the wearer in the sport of jousting. The jousters would charge at each other with their lances in an attempt to knock their opponent off of their horse. Lances were 11 feet long, and they bore flared metal heads like this one (above) to disperse the impact. In the joust of peace, the safety of the rider was a primary concern, and the suit emphasized protection over vision and mobility. The metal was thick, the eyeslot was small, and the plates were bolted together in ways that protect the body but allow only limited motion. The slots and holes in the helmet secured a system of padding and straps inside that helped protect the jouster's head.
