Wrought iron caltrop, 16th century

For foot soldiers, facing a charge of heavily armed cavalry would have been a terrifying experience. Their defensive measures included sharpened stakes, pikes and ditches. The grim-looking object displayed here, known as a 'crow's foot' or caltrop, was also used. They were placed on the ground in order to disrupt cavalry charges. Horses were quickly disabled if the spikes penetrated their hooves. A piece of ground covered with crow's feet acted like a modern minefield. However you throw a caltrop down, one sharpened spike always sticks up.