Schoenbartbuch (Nurnberg Carnival Book)

[Roger N]

The Germans really knew how to throw a party aswell, and as much as I would love the carnival in Rio, this I would prefer.

The Schoenbartbuch from Nürnberg, dating a bit uncertain still. Probably 16th century. Parts may be older, or portray
much earlier carnivals.

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[Roger N]

And here are links, both to the manuscript and a few other images on Wiki.

Hamburg seems to have quite similar traditions of fencing, including fencing on a raised "shield". Haven't I read
somewhere that the vikings had such traditions as well? (See the attached image.) Although in the German version
it appears as if the "shield" consists of interlaced swords.

http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/viewIt ... geItems=50

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Categ ... embartlauf

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[Roger N]

Also, a few images appear to have been used repeateadly, with slight variations, like the two following:

It is very interesting to note that these carneval war games appear to focus on the short spear,
the halberd and even occasionally peasant weapons like a pitch fork. It is also interesting to see the pilum like
throwing spear that I mostly have seen as symbolic tools of death, thrown by Death, angels or demons, but
here appears to actually have been used, possibly still symbolically.

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[Roger N]

And here is an article from Die Gartenlaube in 1879.

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[Roger N]

And just to connect the dots, here is an earlier thread on Italian festivals:
viewtopic.php?f=44&t=270