A caltrop is a device composed of four spikes or points arranged so that in whatever manner it is thrown on the ground, it rests on three and presents the fourth upright.

Sep 1, 2006 · Although it was used for centuries by numerous armies, the unobtrusive-looking device called the caltrop, or calthrop, has often been overlooked by military historians, but certainly not by …

Caltrops were typically placed on roadways to slow attacking troops traveling by vehicle or animal. The caltrop was “the simplest weapon we ever made,” according to Dr. Stanley Lovell, the Director of the …

Feb 15, 2026 · caltrop (plural caltrops) (weaponry) A metal object, usually small, with spikes arranged so that, when thrown onto the ground, one always faces up as a threat to pedestrians, horses, and …

When the police were eventually able to get past the garbage trucks, their tires were destroyed by caltrops (clusters of nails), which were thrown out of the escaping Audis along nearby streets.

Aug 23, 2025 · The caltrop represents more than just a weapon – it’s a testament to human ingenuity in conflict. A small, seemingly insignificant object that could change the course of battles, protect …

Caltrops were medieval area-denial weapons made up of sharp spines arranged so that one of them always points upward. They slowed the advance of troops.

May 20, 2024 · The weapon, known as a caltrop, is a spiked device that can be strewn in large numbers, sometimes connected by a chain, across a roadway or other terrain to impede an enemy’s …

A charging or running creature must immediately stop if it steps on a caltrop. Any creature moving at half speed or slower can pick its way through a bed of caltrops with no trouble.

Caltrops were effective items used by some rogues and adventurers to dissuade pursuit. [1]