Different Types Of Spears: Amazing Facts On Hunting Weapons Revealed!

Amongst the Chinese people, the hunting spear was the first kind of spear used.

The medieval spear was an economical weapon as it used less amount of steel with sharpened edges and the spear-tip was usually made of wrought iron. Several medieval spears had a leaf-shaped blade.

A spear is a close combat pole weapon containing a shaft, mostly made of wood that has a pointed head.

This head may be constructed out of extra durable material attached to the shaft like bronze, iron, flint, steel, obsidian, or bone; or may merely be the sharpened end of a pole like in fire-hardened spears.

The typical model for hunting or combat spears, since the prehistoric period, incorporated metal spearheads built in the shape of a leaf, lozenge, or triangle.

Fishing spears' heads typically had serrated edges or barbs.

The term spear derives from the Old English word spere, which is in turn from speri, a Proto-Germanic word from the root 'sper-' of Proto-Indo-European for 'pole or spear.' Spears are usually divided into two huge categories: ones designed to be used as ranged weapons and ones designed to be used as melee weapons.

The spear has been used throughout history as a primary weapon and for hunting and fishing tool.

Different Types Of Spears

Different types of spears are boar spear, ox tongue spear, Arbir, Trishula, military fork, and trident.

The spear has been the earliest hunting weapon that is still used for cultural activities. Spear use and manufacture are not just limited to human beings.

It was also used by western chimpanzees. It has been observed that chimpanzees close to Kedougu in Senegal make spears out of straight limbs from trees that they break off and then strip the limbs of their side branches and bark.

They then sharpen these limb's end with their teeth and used them as hunting weapons to hunt galagos resting in hollows. Beneath the blade of barred spears, there is a crossbar, preventing too deep a penetration into any animal.

The bar may either be tied loosely using loops beneath the blade or forged as a section of the spearhead.

Barred spears come from the Bronze Age, however, the first historical use was recorded in Xenophon writings around the fifth century BCE, which states that barred spears were used in Europe. Some illustrations are also shown in Roman Art.

During the Medieval period, lugged or winged war spears were developed, spears were specialized in the later Medieval period into a bear spear or boar spear. This boar spear or bear spear could be used either on horseback or foot.

The weapon predominantly used for sport today, the javelin, was historically a ranged weapon. A soldier or warrior who is primarily armed with a javelin or two is called a javelineer.

The term javelin is from the Middle English word, derived from 'javelin' of Old French, which is a diminutive form of javelot, meaning spear. The term javelot is likely a term originating from the Celtic language. There are other types of spears like verutum, Pilum, Angon, harpoon, trident, golo, barcha, kama-yari, and Qiang.

Different Types Of Spears And Their Uses

Different types of spear uses are as weapons, for fishing, and hunting.

Archeological evidence from current-day Germany records the wooden spears that have been used for the last 400,000 years ago. A study conducted in 2012, from the South African Kathu Pan site indicates that ancient humans likely have developed stone-tipped hafted spears around 500,000 years ago in Africa.

The awl pike or ahlspiess was a thrusting spear that was mainly used in Austria and Germany between the 15th and 16th centuries. Ahlspiess was made of a thin and long spike of a square that measured around 39 in (1 m).

This was mounted on a wooden shaft and occasionally fastened with a langet pair that extends from a socket. The spear shafts' length range is 5-6 ft (1.6-1.8 m).

To hunt down boars, boar spears were used. These spears were relatively heavier and shorter.

These were also used later in wars that occurred in the Medieval period as it was easier to pull out from the body of the victim and did not get entangled in the shield. The ox tongue spear came into existence in the 15th century. This spear was broad-headed and double-edged.

Two hands were needed to handle this spear as it was quite heavy. The pole weapon Bohmian earspoon had a broad and long socketed spearhead and two lugs that were out-turned.

It was used for military and hunting purposes. The doru or dory was the main spear of heavy infantry called hoplites in Ancient Greek.

There was a spike capped at the end of the spear and its use was to provide balance. If the spearhead was broken off, then this spike worked as a secondary weapon.

How were different types of spears made?

Any medieval spear was made by a blacksmith using steel and iron.

Although throwing spears did keep the user safe at a certain distance, they were somewhat inaccurate and would weaken and injure the prey enough that the hunter could get close and kill the animal.

There is no correct data that indicates how the spear was invented and it was probably by accident when the apemen found that the sharp spearhead could easily pierce the skin and then used it to catch small animals and fish.

Soon, the idea of taking sticks of trees to sharpen the ends using a rock or against a rock caught on.

Then this stick would allow them to catch their prey without risking their own life.

After the fire was invented, humans learned that by baking the spear ends in the fire until they burnt and strengthened and hardened the wood. This meant that spears broke less and had a long lifespan.

The most effective spear throughout history was the Roman Pilum.

As humans evolved, they started learning how to improve spears and axes. Spears and other many tools were getting upgraded with better metals and not only for using it to hunt animals but used for arms race and tool use. By the Medieval period, there were several branches of spears for on-foot and horseback uses.

Different Types Of Spears In Asia

Different types of spears in Asia are Yari, Naginata, Bambu Runcing, Sibat, Assegai, and Ji.

The Indonesian weapon, Arbir was a halberd measuring around 5 ft (1.5 m) in length. The Pring Lancip or Bambu runcing, which translates to spiked bamboo, made of sharpened bamboo is a traditional spear.

Fighting with Bambu runcing was practiced in the 15th century, the Majapahit Kingdom on the Java island. This fight took place on an open field in front of the queen and king.

The Korean dang pa or dangpa was named given to Ranseur. This spear was first described in the Joseon Dynasty's Korean martial arts manual.

This spear was a close combat weapon that can trap the sword of an enemy's between any two prongs out of the three. Trishul or Trishula is a trident and divine symbol usually one of the Sanatana Dharma's principal symbols.

This word in Thailand and India refers to the short-handled spear that is likely mounted on a danda or a staff. Other types of Asian spears are gichang, assegai, and hoko yari.