Jousting, as such, has been a thing since at least the fourteenth century. It has its roots in horseback combat, but is of course most familiar to us in a sporting context. Here is the core terminology1:
- Lance – the long pointy things that the knights (attempt to) stab each other with
- List / List Field – the area in which the joust takes place
- Tiltyard – a specialized courtyard, in a castle for example, for holding jousting events
- Tilt Barrier – dividing, via cloth or fence, the two lanes; “tilt” itself came to mean “joust”
Though the practice gradually fell out of relevance, it experienced a revival as a theatrical spectacle in the 1970s. LEGO got the kids excited. And now hobbyists build jousting robots, bringing jousting full-circle back to its high tech origins.
1These definitions have not been rigorously researched and may warrant correction by the more historically-astute Avocados.
Have a lovely Friday 🏰