spontoon

thumb|Spontoon, American, detail (MET, 42.140) A spontoon, sometimes known by the variant spelling espontoon or as a half-pike, is a type of European polearm that came into being alongside the pike. The spontoon was in common use from the mid-17th century to the early 19th century, but it was used to a much lesser extent as a military weapon and ceremonial implement until the late 19th century.

==Description== Unlike the pike, which was a very long weapon that was typically long, the spontoon was much shorter and only measured around in overall length. Generally, this weapon featured a more elaborate head than the typical pike. The head of a spontoon often had a pair of blades or lugs on each side, giving the weapon the look of a military fork or a trident. There were also spontoon-style axes that used the same shaped blades mounted on the side of the weapon with a shorter haft.