We can see in both Japanese and European sources the idea of putting the butt of the spear into the ground when facing cavalry.
In Talhoffer’s Königsegg Fechtbuch the foot is wedged behind the spear. It is interesting to note that in cultures that had interactions with bears the spear was often the weapon of choice (until firearms appear) and a typical tactic seems to be to do the same thing, wedging the butt of the spear in the ground.
On a related interesting note, at least in Europe, bear spears often had a cross-piece to stop the bear running down the spear. Could there be a correlation between bear-hunting cultures (or even boar-hunting cultures) and cross-pieces on polearms? The 14th Century tapestry below shows a boar hunt with a cross-pieced spear.
Much more romantic to think of the reflection of the moon, but an interesting thought.
In Talhoffer’s Königsegg Fechtbuch the foot is wedged behind the spear. It is interesting to note that in cultures that had interactions with bears the spear was often the weapon of choice (until firearms appear) and a typical tactic seems to be to do the same thing, wedging the butt of the spear in the ground.
On a related interesting note, at least in Europe, bear spears often had a cross-piece to stop the bear running down the spear. Could there be a correlation between bear-hunting cultures (or even boar-hunting cultures) and cross-pieces on polearms? The 14th Century tapestry below shows a boar hunt with a cross-pieced spear.
Much more romantic to think of the reflection of the moon, but an interesting thought.