The Holy Lance in Vienna – the early history of the Carolingian-Ottonian Imperial symbol from the archaeological viewpoint

Abstract

The literary sources are silent on the early history of the Holy Lance, the most important symbol of power of the German kings and emperors during the Ottonian period. According to archaeological investigations it was a simple winged lance of the late 8th century, which first served as a pennant lance.  Following his coronation as emperor in Rome in 800, Charlemagne, probably in Aachen, had it reworked into a reliquary of the Passion, which was to correspond to the Jerusalem »Lancea Domini« of the Byzantine emperor in
rank, but also in its outward appearance. For this purpose a symmetrical iron rod consisting of three symbolical nails of the Holy Cross with crossed heads hammered together were pressed into the chiselled out lance-head. Moreover, its pointed, oval edge was lengthened to the wings by two blades attached laterally.
In this way this »Holy Lance« obtained a very unusual, curved shape remarkably similar to the battledagger (pugio) of Roman soldiers. This may not have been accidental, but an indication that the »Lancea Domini«, which was revered in Constantinople and destroyed in 1204, was not a proper lance, but such a dagger of the early Roman period.