Lars apparently didn’t feel his contribution to the defense of Fargo-Moorhead against a Viking onslaught significant enough to mention, but I have discovered a photo of what happened. Lars took the vanguard while the other men were still collecting their shields.
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Wow! That’s something. What you probably don’t know is that that was precisely how the Vikings began a battle–throwing a spear over the enemy, devoting them to the gods.
Lars, you look a little out numbered. RUN!
I love it. I wish I had know that about the spear. I would have been more satisfied with the image before now. When I commented on it earlier, I was thinking only to remove the cars and buildings which I did at first, but couldn’t stop afterwards.
I figured a fella ought to hold onto his spear so he could do a little skewering.
Yes, if I’m not mistaken, that’s looking roughly northeast from the artificial hill on Concordia’s campus (the one of Indian legend) towards Old Main, visible in the distance (the new campanile is hidden from view, somewhere to the right). BTW, I’m a Concordia Cobber.
There are spears for fighting and spears for throwing, the 2nd group generally being lighter than the former. If you remember the story of David & Goliath, Goliath was armed with a spear of iron plus two bronze javelins. The spear, made of expensive iron, was for holding onto and fighting with. The javelins, made of cheaper bronze, were suitable for throwing at people (also likely to bend on impact and become unusable again).
Michael: Yeah, like I’m gonna believe that there’s a hill that large anywhere near Moorhead…
Did the Norsemen have anything resembling an atl-atl?
Adds a lot of range…..
Yeah, that’s not Concordia. I have other photos which would provide context. Perhaps, I should upload those as well.
That’s a stirring enough image to be used on one’s desktop.
Aitchmark: I know of no equivalent to an atl-atl. For real distance they used arrows.
Phil: You’re aware that that picture has nothing to do with Moorhead, aren’t you?
Of course, I am. I made all that up to begin with, and I assume Michael is making up the stuff about Concordia. If he isn’t, I may have to “dig up” a photo of you at Concordia to show the difference.
I figured that Phil had used some kind of “forced perspective” a la “Lord of the Rings”. :O) Actually, my hope is that someone who really knew the campus would get a mild chuckle about my description of the scene. The fact is, “Cobber Hill” is indeed barely a hill at all, and yet is the highest point in Moorhead!
Full disclosure: Here’s the original photo I found through the links Lars provided earlier: Lars throws a spear
This was my original intent for it, dusting it up so that the distracting elements are removed. The Spearthrower
This is the context photo I found after Michael misidentified the local slightly. Of course, it is Moorhead, MN. No one can argue that with the distinct architecture seen in this photo of the reenactment of the Battle of Moorhead.
Moorhead is, in fact, in Minnesota. I knew you’d never forgive me for not pointing that out.
Of course, it is. I never said any differently . . . 🙂
UNFAIR! YOU EDITED YOUR COMMENT! I’M GONNA TELL!
Heh, heh. I’ll edit your comment, if you don’t watch your ps & qs. I’m not sure why those are the things to watch. Maybe it’s a typesetting question.
I’m told that the phrase does refer to typesetting. When type was set by hand, it was easy to confuse a small p with a small q, since you had to reverse them mentally.