Bear spear

The sharpened head of a bear spear was enlarged and usually took the form of a bay leaf.

Right under the head there was a short crosspiece that helped fix the spear in the body of an animal and keep it at a distance from the hunter.

Often it was placed against the ground on its rear point, which made it easier to hold the weight of an attacking beast.

[citation needed] In the Slavic countries it was known as a rogatina and used since at least the 12th century.

[2] In Germany, the bear spear or Bärenspieß was known from at least the Late Middle Ages but was rather rare when compared to Eastern Europe due to the much smaller bear population.