Spear

A spear is a weapon that consists of a wooden shaft and a sharp tip. The tip of the spear can be sharp by itself or it may be made from a different material, most often iron, bronze or stone. The most common tip of the spear is usually made of metal and it has a triangular shape. The spear is one of the most common personal weapons that were used since the Stone Age until the age of firearms. Even today the spear is still used for fishing and hunting. Spears were used as ballistic weapons when thrown and also they were used in close combat. The spears designed for throwing were often called javelins. The javelins were used from horseback and by infantry.

The spear was also a very economical weapon as it consisted mostly of wooden shaft and only small amount of steel was used to form the tip of the spear. As a result the spear was a very common weapon that was used by the peasantry. The manufacture of the spear did not require a lot of skill (as compared to sword manufacture) and also it was quick to produce. Spears were usually used for stabbing and some that were equipped with longer blades were used to slice unarmored enemies.

With the advancement in plate armor and the rise of heavy cavalry, the spear shafts became thicker and longer and they were usually mounted against the ground to stop charging knights on horseback. The spear also morphed into lance - a type of spear that was used from horseback by charging knights. Lances were often used as a weapon in the medieval sports, namely jousting.