Editing Polearm (section)

=====Sparth axe=====
In the 13th century, variants on the Danish axe are seen. Described in English as a "sparth" (from the Old Norse {{lang|non|sparðr}})<ref>Oakeshott (1980), p.47</ref> or "pale-axe",<ref>{{cite book |title=Medieval Warfare Source Book Vol. 1 |last=Nicolle |first=David |year=1996 |publisher=Arms & Armour Press |location=London |page=307 }}</ref> the weapon featured a larger head with broader blade, the rearward part of the crescent sweeping up to contact (or even be attached to) the haft.

In Ireland, this axe was known as a "sparr axe". Originating in either Western Scotland or Ireland, the ''sparr'' was widely used by the [[gallowglass|galloglass]].<ref>{{cite book |title= Galloglas|last=  Marsden|first= John |year= 2003|publisher= Tuckwell Press|location=East Linton |isbn= 1-86232-251-1|page=79}}</ref> Although sometimes said to derive from the Irish for a joist or beam,<ref>Marsden (2003), p.82</ref> a more likely definition is as a variant of sparth.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50232190?query_type=word&queryword=sparth&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1 |title = OED |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427120914/http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50232190?query_type=word&queryword=sparth&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1 |archive-date=27 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Although attempts have been made to suggest that the sparr had a distinctive shaped head, illustrations and surviving weapons show there was considerable variation and the distinctive feature of the weapon was its long haft.<ref>{{cite book |title= Galloglass 1250-1600|url= https://archive.org/details/galloglassgaelic00cann|url-access= limited|last=Cannan |first=Fergus|year=2010 |publisher=Osprey |location=Oxford |isbn=978-1-84603-577-7 |page= [https://archive.org/details/galloglassgaelic00cann/page/n12 23]}}</ref>