SPEARS

THROUGH HISTORY
 DECLARATION

I, Harsh from FYS-Section hereby declare that all digital and written work appearing in this book as part of my
Imaging course 15th week submission under the academic guidance of my course faculty is my own and all sources of
knowledge used have been duly acknowledged.

I will be solely responsible for any irregularity found with respect to non-adherence of academic integrity as per ISDI
School of Design and Innovation’s standards and requirements.
 PREFACE
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? NO, it’s in your eye.

Spears were perhaps man’s first innovation, a makeshift weapon to kill something
which is just slightly out of your reach. From killing animals to killing our fellow
humans and being used as deadly decorative pieces, spears have come a long way.

They are still around in the forms of javelin and are thrown around as a sport.
They are far from harming another human being, exceptions for unsuspecting
passerbys who may have been wandering in the landing zone.

This book will take you on a journey through history, showing the first crude
spear to the deadly detachable ones.
 CONTENT

First Spear 08
Sumerian Army 10
Mayan Spear 12
Aztec Spear 14
Egyptain Spearhead 16
Persian Spear 18
Persian Spearhead 20
Greek Spear 22
Roman Spear 24
Viking Spear 26
 350,000 BCE

STONE SPEAR MESA VERDE

NATONAL PARK

Since the previous design lacked a streamline shape, which ust

have casused the spear to go off-target. Early humans stuck a
sharpened rock to the tip to make it more aerodynamic and
lethal so that it pierces the animal hide.

After realizing that some targets need to be hunted from a distance it was pratical for early humans to make a projectile
weapon to attack with presision from a safe distance.

08
SUMERIAN
ARMY
STELE OF
THE
VULTURES

2500-2600 BCE The spear shifted from a tool of hunt to a weapon for combat. The amry used its long range as a good defensice and offensive measure
and included spear fomrations in their military formation to from ‘phalanx’.
LOUVRE
10 PARIS
 MAYAN SPEAR
2000 BCE
Anthropology Museum

MEXICO

They seem to have developed handles to allow them to be

thrown over large distances. The metal tip suggests that it is
powerful enoguh to penetrate animal tissue and prirce tho-
rugh armours

These spears required expertise due to there unique design with the handle and thus Mayans had spear thowers.

12
 AZTEC
ATLATL

The Aztecs decorate their weapons, which may indicate worship/respext towards warfare. It had similarities to the Mayan design but
2000 BCE had more reach, in hints towards advancemnt in Aztec warfare.

Anthropology Museum

14 MEXICO
 2000 BCE

EGYPTIAN SPEARHEAD
Archaeological Museum

FRANCE

Hunting and combat were common in the Egyptian civiliza-

tion and the spears had dual purposes. The spear shown here
cis made of bronze which was meant for peircing armour,
hence a combat spear.

The bronze spear was excavated from Leontopolis, and was regarded as an auxiliary weapon for egyptian foot soldiers.

16
 PERSIAN SPEAR 1000-600 BCE
Kolleck Collection
JERUSALEM

Persians had various short/long range weapons. They seem to

have developed detachable spearheads. This is evident from
the fact that the spearheads had holes at there base which
allowed a string to go through and connect to the pole.

The spear shown here is from the Teddy Kolleck Collection in Jerusalem a similar CA Scholastic collection is curated in Santa
Barbara County

18
PERSIAN
SPEARHEAD

1000-600 BCE These were the ‘holders’ of the spearehead, the shaft went inside them giving the holder a powerful dual edged weapon to fight with,
both at close range and long range. The spear end was heavy which indicates the weight was used as an advantage by the combatants
Private Collection

20 LOS ANGELES
 GREEK SPEAR
4th Century BC
War Museum
ATHENS

Greeks and Romans had similar spear designs which were

influenced a lot from Persians. The Greeks implemented their
long spears, called pilum, in their V-shapedmilitary formation
and used to penetrate enenmy defenses.

The spears were 6 to 8 feet long and were also used as javelins to attack form a safe distance. They also served as close combat
weapons and were used to keep the enemies at a safe distance.

22
 ROMAN
LANCES

4th-3rd Century BC Romans has long range pilums and lances. Their spear had weighted ends, which provide balance during combat, they had similiar
formations like the Greeks but their spear designs suggests that they were more effective in close combat situations.
Augsburg Museum

GERMANY
24
 825-950 AD

VIKING SPEARHEAD CULTURAL MUSEUM

VEGARD VIKE

They has the longest spears which indicates that they were
strong race to be able to handle these and use them effectively
in combat. Their spear had hidden blades, detachable parts
which indicates that they practiced advance warfare and
combat techniques.

The spear was excavated in 1974 from the lendbreen Ice patch, despite being buried in ice, the parts showed no sign of rust or
aging due ot the moisture which highlights the expert craftsmanship.

26
 REFERENCES

http://www.romancoins.info/MilitaryEquipment-Attack.html
http://www.romancoins.info/MilitaryEquipment-spear.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20180414094652/http://www.hbww.org/Home/Index.aspx
http://gunbai-militaryhistory.blogspot.com/2018/01/hoko-early-japanese-spears.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_ancient_Egypt
https://erasmusu.com/en/erasmus-athens/erasmus-blog/war-museum-3-tribal-warfare-676470
http://www.ancientresource.com/lots/persian/ancient-persian-weapons.html
https://www.donsmaps.com/atlatl.html
https://www.mna.inah.gob.mx/
http://www.havenandhearth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=51685
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zxn3r82/articles/zcsbr82
https://www.insa.nic.in/writereaddata/UpLoadedFiles/IJHS/Vol53_3_2018__Art04.pdf
https://www.harappa.com/answers/how-peaceful-was-harappan-civilization
https://www.nps.gov/meve/learn/education/artifactgallery_spearknife.htm
http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/behavior/getting-food/oldest-wooden-spear
http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/manufacturing/text/viking_spear.htm
https://www.historyonthenet.com/mesopotamian-warfare-the-sumerians-akkadians-and-babylonians
https://secretsoftheice.com/news/2017/11/29/spear/

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