Spear A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft , usually of wood , with a pointed head . The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself , as is the case with bamboo spears , or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft , such as flint , obsidian , iron , steel or bronze . The most common design for hunting or combat spears since ancient times has incorporated a metal spearhead shaped like a triangle , lozenge or leaf . The heads of fishing spears usually feature barbs or serrated edges . Spears can be divided into two broad categories : those designed for thrusting in melee combat and those designed for throwing ( usually referred to as javelin s ) . The spear has been used throughout human history both as a hunting and fishing tool and as a weapon . As a weapon , it may be wielded with either one hand or two . It was used in virtually every conflict up until the modern era and was most likely the most commonly used weapon . Origins . Spear manufacture and use is not confined to human beings . It is also practised by the western chimpanzee . Chimpanzees near Kédougou , Senegal have been observed to create spears by breaking straight limbs off trees , stripping them of their bark and side branches , and sharpening one end with their teeth . They then used the weapons to hunt galago s sleeping in hollows . Orangutan s also have used spears to fish , presumably after observing humans fishing in a similar manner . Prehistory . Archaeological evidence found in Germany documents that wooden spears have been used for hunting since at least 400 , 000 years ago , and a 2012 study suggests that Homo heidelbergensis may have developed the technology about 500 , 000 years ago . Wood does not preserve well , however , and Craig Stanford , a primatologist and professor of anthropology at the University of Southern California , has suggested that the discovery of spear use by chimpanzees probably means that early humans used wooden spears as well , perhaps , five million years ago . Neanderthals were constructing stone spear heads from as early as 300 , 000 BP and by 250 , 000 years ago , wooden spears were made with fire - hardened points . From 200 , 000 BP onwards , Middle Paleolithic humans began to make complex stone blades with flaked edges which were used as spear heads . These stone heads could be fixed to the spear shaft by gum or resin or by bindings made of animal sinew , leather strips or vegetable matter . During this period , a clear difference remained between spears designed to be thrown and those designed to be used in hand - to - hand combat . By the Magdalenian period ( c . 15000 - 9500 BC ) , spear - throwers similar to the later atlatl were in use . Military . Spears were one of the most common personal weapons used in the Stone Age , and they remained in use as important military and hunting implements until the advent of firearms . They may be seen as the ancestor of such military weapons as the lance , the pilum , the halberd , the naginata , the glaive , the bill , and the pike . One of the earliest weapons fashioned by human beings and their ancestors , the spear is still used for hunting and fishing , and its influences still may be seen in current military gear such as the rifle - mounted bayonet . Spears may be used as both a projectile and melee weapon s . Spears used primarily for thrusting may be used with either one or two hands and tend to have heavier and sturdier designs than those intended exclusively for throwing . Those designed for throwing , often referred to as javelins , tend to be lighter and have a more streamlined head , and they may be thrown either by hand or with the assistance of a spear thrower such as the atlatl or woomera . From the atlatl dart , the arrow for use with bows eventually developed . Ancient history . Infantry . Short , one - handed spears featuring socketed metal heads were used in conjunction with a shield by the earliest Bronze Age cultures . They were wielded in either single combat or in large troop formations . This tradition continued from the first Mesopotamian cultures , through the various ancient Egyptian dynasties , to the period of the Ancient Greek city states . Greeks . The spear is the main weapon of the warriors of Homer ' s Iliad . The use of both a single thrusting spear and two throwing spears are mentioned . It has been suggested that two styles of combat are being described ; an early style , with thrusting spears , dating to the Mycenaean period in which the Iliad is set , and , anachronistically , a later style , with throwing spears , from Homer ' s own Archaic period . In the 7th century BC , the Greeks evolved a new close - order infantry formation , the phalanx . The key to this formation was the hoplite , who was equipped with a large , circular , bronze - faced shield ( hoplon ) and a 7 – 9 ft . ( 2 – 2 . 75 m ) spear with an iron head and bronze butt - spike ( doru ) . The hoplite phalanx dominated warfare among the Greek City States from the 7th into the 4th century BC . The 4th century saw major changes . One was the greater use of peltast s , light infantry armed with spear and javelins . The other was the development of the Sarissa , a two - handed pike 18 ft . ( 5 . 5 m ) in length , by the Macedonians under Phillip of Macedon and Alexander the Great . The pike phalanx , supported by peltasts and cavalry , became the dominant mode of warfare among the Greeks from the late 4th century onward until Greek military systems were supplanted by the Roman legions . Cavalry . During this time the spear was also used by cavalry . The majority of ancient cavalry units were equipped either with javelin s or a one - handed thrusting spear similar to that used by infantry . Some , however , used longer spears . The Macedonian Xyston was 12 – 14 ft . ( 3 . 6 – 4 . 2 m ) in length and could be used with one or two hands . The use of the two - handed Kontos by heavily armoured soldiers on horseback , known as Cataphracts , was developed first by nomadic eastern Iranian tribes and spread throughout the ancient world . These would be used to great effect by the Successor kingdoms and the Parthians and , later , by the Sassanians and Sarmatians . Later Roman and Byzantine armies also made use of these troops . Romans . In the pre - Marian Roman armies the first two lines of battle , the hastati and principes , often fought with swords and pila , heavy javelins that were specifically designed to be thrown at an enemy to pierce and foul a target ' s shield . Originally the Principes were armed with a short spear called a hasta , but these gradually fell out of use , eventually being replaced by the Gladius . The third line , the triarii , continued to use the " hasta " . From the late 2nd century BC , all legionaries were equipped with the pilum . The pilum continued to be the standard legionary spear until the end of the 2nd century AD . Auxilia , however , were equipped with a simple hasta and , perhaps , throwing spears . During the 3rd century AD , although the pilum continued to be used , legionaries usually were equipped with other forms of throwing and thrusting spear , similar to auxilia of the previous century . By the 4th century , the pilum had effectively disappeared from common use . Middle East and North Africa during Islamic period . Muslim warriors used a spear that was called " az - zaġāyah " . Berbers pronounced it " zaġāya " . In English it is generally called an Assegai . It is a pole weapon used for throwing or hurling , usually a light spear or javelin made of hard wood and pointed with a forged iron tip . The az - zaġāyah played an important role during the Islamic conquest as well as during later periods , well into the 20th century . A longer pole az - zaġāyah was being used as a hunting weapon from horseback . The az - zaġāyah spread far into sub - saharan Africa as well as India , although these places already had their own variants of the spear as well . It was the weapon of choice during the Fulani jihad as well as during the Mahdist War in Sudan . It is still being used by Sikh Nihang s in the Punjab as well as certain wandering Sufi ascetics " ( Derwish es ) " . European Middle Ages . After the fall of the Roman Empire , the spear and shield continued to be used by nearly all Western European cultures . Since a medieval spear required only a small amount of steel along the sharpened edges ( most of the spear - tip was wrought iron ) , it was an economical weapon . Quick to manufacture , and needing less smithing skill than a sword , it remained the main weapon of the common soldier . The Vikings , for instance , although often portrayed with axe or sword in hand , were armed mostly with spears , as were their Anglo - Saxon , Irish , or continental contemporaries . Infantry . Broadly speaking , spears were either designed to be used in melee , or to be thrown . Within this simple classification , there was a remarkable range of types . For example , M . J . Swanton identified thirty different spearhead categories and sub - categories in Early Saxon England . Most medieval spearheads were , generally leaf - shaped . Notable types of Early medieval spears include the Angon , a throwing spear with a long head similar to the Roman pilum , used by the Franks and Anglo - Saxons and the winged ( or lugged ) spear , which had two prominent wings at the base of the spearhead , either to prevent the spear penetrating too far into an enemy or to aid in spear fencing . Originally a Frankish weapon , the winged spear also was popular with the Vikings . It would become the ancestor of later medieval polearms , such as the partisan and spetum . The thrusting spear also has the advantage of " reach " , being considerably longer than other weapon types . Exact spear lengths are hard to deduce as few spear shafts survive archaeologically but 6 ft . – 8 ft . ( 1 . 8m – 2 . 5m ) would seem to have been the norm . Some nations were noted for their long spears , including the Scots and the Flemish . Spears usually were used in tightly ordered formations , such as the shieldwall or the schiltron . To resist cavalry , spear shafts could be planted against the ground . William Wallace drew up his schiltrons in a circle at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298 to deter charging cavalry , but it was a widespread tactic , sometimes known as the " crown " formation . Throwing spears became rarer as the Middle Ages drew on , but survived in the hands of specialists such as the Catalan Almogavars . They were commonly used in Ireland until the end of the 16th century . Spears began to lose fashion among the infantry during the 14th century , being replaced by pole weapons that combined the thrusting properties of the spear with the cutting properties of the axe , such as the halberd . Where spears were retained they grew in length , eventually evolving into pike s , which would be a dominant infantry weapon in the 16th and 17th centuries . Cavalry . Cavalry spears were originally the same as infantry spears and were often used with two hands or held with one hand overhead . In the 11th century , after the adoption of stirrup s and a high - cantled saddle , the spear became a decidedly more powerful weapon . A mounted knight would secure the lance by holding it with one hand and tucking it under the armpit ( the " couched lance " technique ) This allowed all the momentum of the horse and knight to be focused on the weapon ' s tip , whilst still retaining accuracy and control . This use of the spear spurred the development of the lance as a distinct weapon that was perfected in the medieval sport of jousting . In the 14th century , tactical developments meant that knights and men - at - arms often fought on foot . This led to the practice of shortening the lance to about 5 ft . ( 1 . 5m . ) to make it more manageable . As dismounting became commonplace , specialist pole weapons such as the pollaxe were adopted by knights and this practice ceased . European Renaissance and after . Infantry . The development of both the long , two - handed pike and gunpowder in Renaissance Europe saw an ever increasing focus on integrated infantry tactics . Those infantry not armed with these weapons carried variations on the pole - arm , including the halberd and the bill . Ultimately , the spear proper was rendered obsolete on the battlefield . Its last flowering was the half - pike or spontoon , a shortened version of the pike carried by officers and NCOs . While originally a weapon , this came to be seen more as a badge of office , or " leading staff " by which troops were directed . The half - pike , sometimes known as a boarding pike , was also used as a weapon on board ships until the 19th century . Cavalry . At the start of the Renaissance , cavalry remained predominantly lance armed ; gendarmes with the heavy knightly lance and lighter cavalry with a variety of lighter lances . By the 1540s , however , pistol - armed cavalry called reiter s were beginning to make their mark . Cavalry armed with pistols and other lighter firearms , along with a sword , had virtually replaced lance armed cavalry in Western Europe by the beginning of the 17th century , although the lance persisted in Eastern Europe , from whence it was reintroduced into the European mainstream in the 19th century . East Asia . Vietnam . Along with the axe , the spear was the most common ancient weapon found in Vietnam . Spearheads are of various sizes and shapes , some only 12 centimetres in length and others 30 to 40 cm long . Spear shafts also vary greatly . Soldier figures on 13th - century vases show very short and slender spears used together with shields . Cavalry spears , up to 4 metres long , resemble the European lances drawn by 17th - century Westerners . Warring States and early Sinitic empires . Spears ( Qiang ) were used in Asia first as hunting weapons amongst the ancient Chinese . They became popular as infantry weapons during the Warring States and Qin era , when spearmen were used as especially highly - disciplined soldiers in organized group attacks . When used in formation fighting , spearmen would line up their large rectangular or circular shields in a shieldwall manner . The Qin also employed long spears ( more akin to a pike ) in formations similar to Swiss pikemen in order to ward off cavalry . The Han Empire would use similar tactics as its Qin predecessors . Halberds , polearms , and dagger axes were also common weapons during this time . Spears were also common weaponry for Warring States , Qin , and Han era cavalry units . During these eras , the spear would develop into a longer lance - like weapon used for cavalry charges . Medieval Japan . Medieval Japan employed spears for infantrymen to use , but it was not until the 11th century in Japan that samurai began to use spears over bows . Several spears ( Yari ) and pole weapons were used in the Japanese theatres ; the naginata was a heavy but powerful pole arm often used by mounted samurai in the 16th century . It was described as a sword attached to a spear and although it was unwieldy , skilled users could fight many opponents at once . Korea . In Korea , spear infantry were used regularly by the Three Kingdoms of Korea armies . Goguryeo and Silla soldiers were well - trained and hardened by years of war . By fighting lifetimes of war , they discovered that heavily armoured spear infantry was very effective in breaking apart thickly defended areas and charging cavalry units . Halberd - like pole weapons were also common weapons amongst Asian armies . A notable use of a pole weapon in Asia would be during the Imjin Wars , between the Koreans and the Japanese . Korean castle and fort defenders typically , were armed with the dangpa , a variation of a pole weapon called a trident . The dangpa was a favourite amongst the Korean vanguards because of its usefulness in siege combat , its striking power , and its piercing capabilities . It was particularly effective against Japanese samurai and ashigaru armour and was used , " en masse " , to corner multiple swordsmen . The dangpa was used by a few Korean marines in Admiral Yi ' s naval operations as " pushing " infantry , literally meaning to push back Japanese marines ; the remainder of Korean marines carried swords to board Japanese ships , or bows and arrows to attack from a distance . Other Korean pole arms included the woldo , which resembled the Chinese Kwan Dao . Old Philippine Civilizations . Filipino spears ( sibat ) were used as both a weapon and a tool throughout the Philippines . It also called " bangkaw " , " sumbling " or " palupad " in the islands of Visayas and Mindanao . Sibat are typically made from rattan , either with a sharpened tip or a head made from metal . These heads may either be single - edged , double - edged or barbed . Styles vary according to function and origin . For example , a sibat designed for fishing may not be the same as those used for hunting . The spear was used as the primary weapon in expeditions and battles against neighbouring island kingdoms and it become famous during the 1521 Battle of Mactan , where the chieftan Lapu Lapu of Cebu fought against Spanish forces lead by Ferdinand Magellan who was subsequently killed . Mesoamerica . As advanced metallurgy was largely unknown in pre - Columbian America outside of Western Mexico and South America , most weapons in Meso - America were made of wood or obsidian . This didn ' t mean that they were less lethal , as obsidian may be sharpened to become many times sharper than steel . Meso - American spears varied greatly in shape and size . While the Aztecs preferred the sword - like macuahuitl for fighting , the advantage of a far - reaching thrusting weapon was recognised , and a large portion of the army would carry the tepoztopilli into battle . The tepoztopilli was a pole - arm , and to judge from depictions in various Aztec codices , it was roughly the height of a man , with a broad wooden head about twice the length of the users ' palm or shorter , edged with razor - sharp obsidian blades which were deeply set in grooves carved into the head , and cemented in place with bitumen or plant resin as an adhesive . The tepoztopili was able both to thrust and slash effectively . Throwing spears also were used extensively in Meso - American warfare , usually with the help of an atlatl . Throwing spears were typically shorter and more stream - lined than the tepoztopilli , and some had obsidian edges for greater penetration . Spears were used after the Meso - American period in various conflicts including the Latin American wars of independence and the Spanish American wars of independence . Plainsmen cavalry ( known as " llaneros " ) , led by José Antonio Páez , used spears against the royalists in battles such as Battle of Las Queseras del Medio , the Toma de las Flecheras , and the Battle of Carabobo . Africa . The spear probably originated in Africa sometime during the evolution of the genus Homo . It was an important part of the Nubian and ancient Egyptian military and continued to be used throughout African history even after the introduction of gunpowder . The most common kind of spear used in Africa is the assegai , which is usually thrown . The Zulu people of eastern South Africa were known for their particular skill with shortened thrusting spears called iklwa . These spears were designed for close combat and often were wielded in conjunction with a large oval shield . Advanced skills in close combat allowed the Zulu military to conquer much of southeast Africa . Hunting . One of the earliest forms of killing prey for humans , hunting game with a spear and spear fishing continues to this day as both a means of catching food and as a cultural activity . Some of the most common prey for early modern humans were megafauna such as mammoths which were hunted with various kinds of spear . One theory for the Quaternary extinction event was that most of these animals were hunted to extinction by humans with spears . Even after the invention of other hunting weapons such as the bow the spear continued to be used , either as a projectile weapon or used in the hand as was common in boar hunting . Modern revival . Spear hunting fell out of favour in most of Europe in the 18th century , but continued in Germany , enjoying a revival in the 1930s . Spear hunting is still practiced in the USA . Animals taken are primarily wild boar and deer , although trophy animals such as cats and big game as large as a Cape Buffalo are hunted with spears . Alligator are hunted in Florida with a type of harpoon . In myth and legend . Symbolism . Like many weapons , a spear may also be a symbol of power . In the Chinese martial arts community , the Chinese spear ( Qiang 槍 ) is popularly known as the " king of weapons " . The Celts would symbolically destroy a dead warrior ' s spear either to prevent its use by another or as a sacrificial offering . In classical Greek mythology Zeus ' bolts of lightning may be interpreted as a symbolic spear . Some would carry that interpretation to the spear that frequently is associated with Athena , interpreting her spear as a symbolic connection to some of Zeus ' power beyond the Aegis once he rose to replacing other deities in the pantheon . Athena was depicted with a spear prior to that change in myths , however . Chiron ' s wedding - gift to Peleus when he married the nymph Thetis in classical Greek mythology , was an ashen spear as the nature of ashwood with its straight grain made it an ideal choice of wood for a spear . The Romans and their early enemies would force prisoners to walk underneath a ' yoke of spears ' , which humiliated them . The yoke would consist of three spears , two upright with a third tied between them at a height which made the prisoners stoop . It has been surmised that this was because such a ritual involved the prisoners ' warrior status being taken away . Alternatively , it has been suggested that the arrangement has a magical origin , a way to trap evil spirits . The word " subjugate " has its origins in this practice ( from Latin " sub " = under , " jugum " = a yoke ) . In Norse Mythology , the God Odin ' s spear ( named Gungnir ) was made by the sons of Ivaldi . It had the special property that it never missed its mark . During the War with the Vanir , Odin symbolically threw Gungnir into the Vanir host . This practice of symbolically casting a spear into the enemy ranks at the start of a fight was sometimes used in historic clashes , to seek Odin ' s support in the coming battle . In Wagner ' s opera " Siegfried " , the haft of Gungnir is said to be from the " World - Tree " Yggdrasil . Other spears of religious significance are the Holy Lance and the Lúin of Celtchar , believed by some to have vast mystical powers . Sir James George Frazer in " The Golden Bough " noted the phallic nature of the spear and suggested that in the Arthurian Legends the spear or lance functioned as a symbol of male fertility , paired with the Grail ( as a symbol of female fertility ) . Tamil ( Thamizh ) people worship the spear as the weapon of the god Murugan . Murugan ' s spear is called the Vel . In Sri Lanka and India there is a dominant caste named Vellalar . The name " vellalar " is derived from " vel " + " aalar " , which means " ruler of the spear " .