58 The History of the Spur 



has become reduced to a mere vestige, but the kidney-shaped 

 opening in the neck can generally be seen more or less 

 marked. 



I give on Plate 36 an illustration of an old Moorish 

 spur taken from one in the Tower of London, and there are 

 many similar examples in continental and other museums. 

 It is of iron, damascened with silver. The total length is 

 eleven inches. These spurs always show the same characteristics 

 — the round heel-plate, long, straight sides, round in section, 

 and with a very narrow spread and a long, straight point. 

 Although not a rowel spur, I have put it here, next to the 

 Mexican spurs, because it shows the round heel-plate, from 

 which the Mexican spurs derived theirs, and which does not 

 seem to have been copied by any European nation except the 

 Spaniards. 



