Weight and grip of sarissa and shield in macedonian phalanx

[PMBardunias]

Whilst I take the point (pardon the pun) of dropping the point, this description surely precludes the raising of the spear off the shoulder to lower the point? Particularly attacking uphill?

I disagree, the main point it that the spears are going from pointing up to pointing forward- the point dropping forward. How the hand moves that is dropping the point forward- its moving up as the point falls- is irrelevent. The dory in fact pivots forward at its balance point, not raising much at all above the height of the shoulder.

Attacking uphill is also not important. Hoplites surely did not change the way they held the spear because of a slope. It is my opinion that when charging they always used the dory overhand, underhand being relegated to pursuit.