Spear

ancient weapons · hunting · history

Pointy tip design. The sharp head of a spear can be made from many materials like bone, flint, obsidian, or metal. Over time, people learned that metal spearheads shaped like triangles, diamonds, or leaves worked best for hunting and fighting.

Wooden shaft. Most spears have a wooden pole as their handle, which makes them light enough to throw or thrust but strong enough to not break easily. The wood is usually sturdy so it can support the weight of the heavy metal head.

Fishing spears. Fishing spears are different from hunting spears because they have multiple sharp points with little hooks called barbs. These points spread out to catch slippery fish and keep them from escaping.

Fire hardened tips. Long ago, people didn't have metal, so they made spears by sharpening the wood itself and then heating it in fire to make it harder and pointier. This was one of the first weapons humans ever created.