Weight and grip of sarissa and shield in macedonian phalanx

[PMBardunias]

That plaque is one of only two sources that I know of that depict phalangites in combat, and both show the same low, underhand grip.

Do you have an image of the other you could post. By the way, isn't odd that the sarissa seems to be held under the shield? I have only seen recreations where the sarissa is held at the edge of the shield. How is it shown in the other depiction?

1) is the weight of sarissa of similar size (say six foot) considerably greater than the pike? What about the sarissa's large spear butt?

From: The Macedonian Sarissa, Spear, and Related Armor
Minor M. Markle, III
American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 81, No. 3

"The eighteen-foot sarissa minus the length of the point and its socket (0.5I m. = i ft. 8 in.) and that of the butt-spike (0.445 m. = i ft. 6 in.) would equal 178 in., excluding the cones of wood inserted into the sockets of the head and butt. The volume of this shaft (Tr r2 h: 3.I4 x .56 x I78) would be 313 cu. in., and its weight would be this figure times .03 lbs. per cu. in., which would be 9.39 lbs. The weight of the iron sarissa-head is I235 grammes = 2.7 lbs. and that of the butt-spike 1070 grammes =2.4 lbs. (The weight of the coupling sleeve is not given and is hereby excluded.) The total weight of the eighteen-foot sarissa is thus I4.5 lbs. On the assumption that a fifteen-foot sarissa had iron parts of the same weight and size as those described above, it would weigh about I2 lbs."

Email me for the rest.

2) is it possible to hold sarissa in position similar to medieval/reneissance pikemen (on the level of shoulders or head)?
Are there any evidence pointing to such practice? (only representation of phalangites holding sarissa's in "normal" (low) grip I found is plaque from Pergamon showing battle with Galatians (?))

Anything is possible, but there is no evidence for this and if the shield was held on the arm via a porpax, I suggest its weight makes this unlikely.

4) and finally - your opinion about "locked shields" formation, where soldier occupies only 0,5 m (Warry, WITCW p.73)? Polybios attests only three foot (18,28-30); are there any evidence about even closer formation?

Being in synaspismos comes from Aelian and Arrian I believe. it is not clear to me how the peltae of sarissaphoroi could overlap if the sarissa was held at the edge, thus in the way. Also, many macedonian shields were very convex, and this also makes overlap difficult. It is possible, probable?, that to be with overlapped shields at this date simply meant to be at 0.5 m spacing.