The spur was used by the
Celts during the
La Tène period, which began in the
5th century BC, and is also mentioned by
Xenophon (354 BC). Iron or bronze spurs were also used throughout the
Roman Empire. The spur also existed in the
medieval Arab world. Early spurs had a neck that ended in a point, called a prick, riveted to the heel band. Prick spurs had straight necks in the 11th century and bent ones in the 12th. The earliest form of the spur armed the heel with a single prick. In England, the rowel spur is shown upon the first seal of
Henry III and on
monuments of the 13th century, but it did not come into general use until the 14th century. The spurs of medieval
knights were
gilt and those of
squires were silvered. To "win his spurs" meant to gain knighthood, as gilded spurs were reckoned the badge of knighthood. In the rare cases of
ceremonious degradation, the spurs were hacked from the disgraced knight's heels with the cook's chopper. After the
Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302, where the French cavalry suffered a humbling defeat, the victors hung up bushels of knights' gilt spurs in the churches of
Kortrijk as trophies of what is still remembered by the Flemings as the
Guldensporenslag (the battle of the golden spurs). The English named the French
rout from
Thérouanne as the
Battle of the Spurs, due to the rapidity of the French cavalry's flight. Prick spurs were the standard form until the 14th century, when the rowel began to become more common. The prick design never died out entirely, but instead became a thicker, shorter neck with a dulled end, such as the modern "Prince of Wales" design commonly seen in
English riding. Though often decorated throughout history, in the 15th century, spurs became an art form in both decoration and design, with elaborate engraving, very long shanks, and large rowels. Though sometimes it has been claimed that the design changes were used because of
barding, the use of barding had fallen out of fashion by the time the most elaborate spur designs were created. More likely, the elaborate designs reflected the increased abundance of precious metals, particularly
silver, that followed the European exploration of the
Americas that began in 1492. Spur designs in Spain and colonial
Mexico were particularly elaborate. For example, the spurs of the Spanish
conquistadores were sometimes called
espuela grande, the "grand spur", and could have rowels as large as around. In northern Europe, the spur became less elaborate after the 16th century, particularly following the
Stuart Restoration, but elaborate spur designs persisted, particularly in the Americas, descendants of which are still seen today, particularly in
Mexico and the western
United States, where the spur has become an integral part of the
vaquero and
cowboy traditions. The spur as an art form, as well as a tool, is still seen in
western riding, where spurs with engraving and other artistic elements, often handmade and using silver or other precious metals, are still worn. Collecting of particularly beautiful
antique spurs is a popular pastime for some individuals, particularly aficionados of western history and cowboy culture.
Spurs as modern honours Just as a
medieval knight was said to have "earned his spurs", the awarding of spurs has continued in the modern era as an honour bestowed upon individuals in organizations with military heritages, and among motorcycle riders. Members of the
Papal Orders of Knighthood receive gilt spurs direct from the hands of the
pope; members of the British
Order of the Garter similarly receive gilt spurs from the monarch. Inductees into the American
Order of the Spur receive gold-coloured (usually brass) spurs if they have earned their membership through combat, or silver-coloured (usually nickel) spurs if they have not seen combat, but complete a
rite of passage. ==Basic designs and wear==