Trident
A trident /ˈtraɪdənt/ is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spearfishing.[1] Historically it was used as a polearm. Gladiators used them in Ancient Rome after they cast a net to trap their opponent.[2] The trident is the weapon of Poseidon, or Neptune, the god of the sea in classical mythology.[3] In Hindu mythology it is the weapon of Shiva, known as trishula (Sanskrit for "triple-spear").[4] The word "trident" comes from the French word trident, which in turn comes from the Latin word tridens.[5]
Trident Media
Illustration of a trident user from the Wubei Zhi, late 16th to early 17th century
Fountain of Neptune in Diafáni, Karpathos island
A trident in the coat of arms of Riistavesi
Dutch fishermen using tridents in the 17th century.
Lesser Coat of Arms of Ukraine, the so called Tryzub. A stylised trident symbol in gold on a background shield of blue.
The flag of Barbados incorporates a Trident.
Emblem of the Hellenic Navy
A statue of Hindu God Shiva, holding a trishula, near Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
Two guardian deities of an ancient Chinese tomb, both holding tridents
References
- ↑ S.L. Hamilton, Spearfishing (Minneapolis, MN: Abdo Publishing, 2015), p. 8
- ↑ "What is a Trident?". wiseGEEK. Conjecture Corporation. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ↑ "Poseidon". GreekMythology.com. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ↑ "Shaivite Hindu Symbols: The Trishula". Western Hindu. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
- ↑ "trident". The Free Dictionary. Farlex. Retrieved 8 November 2016.