Swordstaff

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A swordstaff (svärdstav) is a Scandinavian polearm, used in the Middle Ages. It is made by placing a blade at the end of a staff.^{[citation needed]}

Evidence of the weapon in use at the battle of Elfsborg (Alvesborg) in 1502 is provided by Paul Dolnstein,^[1] a landsknecht mercenary who fought in the battle, who refers to the Swedes carrying "good pikes made from swords". He also provides sketches of the weapon.^[2]

Although Dolstein believed the weapon was made from swords, there is no independent confirmation of this.^{[citation needed]}

The weapon has visual similarities to the partisan and langue de boeuf and may share common origins. However, Scandinavian sagas make references to a number of pole weapons, usually translated as "halberd" or "bill".^[3] These weapons are used to cut and to stab but their names suggest they were derived from the spear rather than a cutting weapon, such as the hewing spear (höggspjót) and the atgeir.^[4] While clearly identifiable artistic or archaeological evidence of the form of these weapons is lacking, it is possible that the swordstaff may be a late derivative of this family of weapons.

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  Chinese swordstaff called a pi (鈹), Han dynasty
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  Han dynasty Sha 铩 with bat shaped guard and scabbard
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  Closeup of a modern recreation of the sha with a bat shaped guard

Chinese polearms that resembled swordstaves were also commonly used in ancient China from the late Warring States/Qin dynasty to the Han dynasty era. These were known as the pi (鈹), translated into English as either "sword-staff" or "long lance", and a long bladed ranseur-like swordstaff weapon called the sha (鎩) with a blade that was around 62 cm (24 in) long (up to 80 cm (31 in) long) and a hilt that was about 19 cm (7.5 in) long.^{[citation needed]}

• Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon – Schwertstab (in German)