In this third part of the series of blogs on Plains weaponry, I will talk about lances…

Tsitsistas/So’taeo’o drawing of a man charging the enemy armed with a lance [Cheyenne] (48.59.58b)

wahúkeza [lance] (1.67.470)
The types of lances also varied. Some, such as those used for hunting or for regular use in warfare, could be quite plain and undecorated. Others, however, belonged to specific warrior societies and were indicators of a man’s rank or position in those societies. These lances would be specially decorated with objects of spiritual potency, increasing their effectiveness in combat.
One particularly sacred lance was the “bow-lance.” Shaped like a long, reflexed bow, it was equipped with a lance point at one end. Despite its resemblance to a bow, it would be used as a lance in combat. Bow-lances were spiritual objects that either belonged to a warrior-society, or were made by individuals that, because of their visionary experiences, were instructed to do so. In either case, they were imbued with power and must be handled accordingly, both in battle and in day-to-day life.

wahúkeza [lance] (NA.108.159)

Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake [Sitting Bull] drawing of him striking coup with his lance on the Nakoda youth that would later be adopted as his brother (40.70.9)