A trident (), () is a three- pronged

spear A spear is a polearm consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with Fire hardening, fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable materia ...

. It is used for spear fishing and historically as a

polearm A polearm or pole weapon is a close combat weapon in which the main fighting part of the weapon is fitted to the end of a long shaft, typically of wood, extending the user's effective range and striking power. Polearms are predominantly melee we ...

. As compared to an ordinary spear, the three tines increase the chance that a fish will be struck and decrease the chance that a fish will be able to dislodge itself if struck badly. On the other hand, they are not so many as to overly reduce the spear's concentration of force for piercing. The trident is the tool of

Poseidon Poseidon (; ) is one of the twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology, presiding over the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 He was the protector of seafarers and the guardian of many Hellenic cit ...

( Greek) or

Neptune Neptune is the eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun. It is the List of Solar System objects by size, fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 t ...

( Roman) used for the protection of the sea realms, the god of the sea in

classical mythology Classical mythology, also known as Greco-Roman mythology or Greek and Roman mythology, is the collective body and study of myths from the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans. Mythology, along with philosophy and political thought, is one of the m ...

. Other sea deities such as Amphitrite or Triton were also often depicted with a trident in classical art. Later, tridents were used in medieval

heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and genealo ...

, sometimes held by a merman or triton. In

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

, it is the weapon of

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

and is known as a ''

trishula The ''trishula'' () is a trident, a divine symbol, commonly used as one of the principal symbols in Hinduism. It is most commonly associated with the deity Shiva and widely employed in his iconography. Etymology The name ''trishula'' ultimate ...

'' (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

for "triple-spear"). It is also associated with the superhero

Aquaman Aquaman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in ''More Fun Comics'' #73 (November 1941). Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles ...

. The trident is an important military (especially naval) symbol as an element for forces such as Hellenic Navy, United States Navy SEALs,

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a United States Service academies, federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as United States Secre ...

, Cyprus Navy, and Nepali Army. It is included in many logos including the corporate logos of

Maserati Maserati S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer. Established on 1 December 1914 in Bologna, Italy, the company's headquarters are now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. The company has been owned by Stellantis since 2021. Ma ...

and

Club Med Club Med SAS, commonly known as Club Med and previously known as Club Méditerranée SA, is a French travel and tourism operator headquartered in Paris, specializing in all-inclusive holidays. Founded in 1950, the company has been primarily ow ...

and the athletic logos of Manchester United F.C. and

Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...

Etymology

The word "trident" comes from the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

word ' or ': ''tri'' meaning "three" and ''dentes'' meaning "teeth", referring specifically to the three prongs, or "teeth", of the weapon. The Greek equivalent is (''tríaina''), from

Proto-Greek The Proto-Greek language (also known as Proto-Hellenic) is the Indo-European language which was the last common ancestor of all varieties of Greek, including Mycenaean Greek, the subsequent ancient Greek dialects (i.e., Attic, Ionic, Ae ...

''trianja'', meaning "threefold". The Greek term does not imply three of anything specific, and is vague about the shape, thus the assumption it was originally of "trident" form has been challenged. Latin ' also means "trident". The Sanskrit name for the trident, ''

'', is a compound of ''tri'' त्रि for "three" and ''śūla'' शूल for "thorn", calling the trident's three prongs "thorns" rather than "teeth" or dant in Sanskrit, making the word "Tridant" for trident.

Mythology and art

Poseidon

The trident is associated with the sea god

. This divine instrument is said to have been forged by the

cyclopes In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; , ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguished. In Hesiod's ''The ...

. Poseidon struck a rock with his trident, causing a sea (or a saltwater spring, called the Erechtheis) to appear nearby on the

Acropolis An acropolis was the settlement of an upper part of an ancient Greek city, especially a citadel, and frequently a hill with precipitous sides, mainly chosen for purposes of defense. The term is typically used to refer to the Acropolis of Athens ...

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

. And according to Roman sources, Neptune struck the earth with the trident to produce the first warhorse. Poseidon, as well as being the god of the sea, was also known as the "Earth Shaker", believed to cause earthquakes; some commentators have extrapolated that the god would have used the trident to cause them, possibly by striking the earth. In the Renaissance artist Gian Bernini's sculpture '' Neptune and Triton'' (1622–23), Neptune is posed holding a trident turned downwards, and is thought to reenact a scene from ''

Aeneid The ''Aeneid'' ( ; or ) is a Latin Epic poetry, epic poem that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Troy, Trojan who fled the Trojan War#Sack of Troy, fall of Troy and travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Ancient Rome ...

'' or

Ovid Publius Ovidius Naso (; 20 March 43 BC – AD 17/18), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a younger contemporary of Virgil and Horace, with whom he i ...

's ''

Metamorphoses The ''Metamorphoses'' (, , ) is a Latin Narrative poetry, narrative poem from 8 Common Era, CE by the Ancient Rome, Roman poet Ovid. It is considered his ''Masterpiece, magnum opus''. The poem chronicles the history of the world from its Cre ...

'' where he is calming the waves to aid

Aeneas In Greco-Roman mythology, Aeneas ( , ; from ) was a Troy, Trojan hero, the son of the Trojan prince Anchises and the Greek goddess Aphrodite (equivalent to the Roman Venus (mythology), Venus). His father was a first cousin of King Priam of Troy ...

's ships.

Other sea divinities

In later Greek and Roman art and literature, other sea deities and their attendants have been depicted holding the trident. Poseidon's consort Amphitrite is often identified by some marine attribute other than a trident, which she never carries according to some scholars, though other commentators have disagreed. Turning to the retinue or a train of beings which follow the sea deities (the marine thiasos) the Tritons ( mermen) may be seen bearing tridents. Likewise, the Old Man of the Sea (''halios geron'') and the god

Nereus In Greek mythology, Nereus ( ; ) was the eldest son of Pontus (the Sea) and Gaia ( the Earth), with Pontus himself being a son of Gaia. Nereus and Doris became the parents of 50 daughters (the Nereids) and a son ( Nerites), with whom Nereus ...

are seen holding tridents. Tritons, other mermen, and the Nereides can also carry rudders, oars, fish, or dolphins. Oceanus normally should not carry a trident, allowing him to be clearly distinguished from Poseidon. However, there is

conflation Conflation is the merging of two or more sets of information, texts, ideas, or opinions into one, often in error. Conflation is defined as 'fusing blending', but is often used colloquially as 'being equal to' - treating two similar but disparate c ...

of the deities in

Romano-British The Romano-British culture arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest in AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, ...

iconography, and examples exist where the crab-claw headed Oceanus also bears a trident. Oceanus holding a trident has been found on

coinage as well. Some '' amorini'' have been depicted carrying tiny tridents. The trident is even seen suspended like a pendant on a

dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the cetacean clade Odontoceti (toothed whale). Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontopori ...

in Roman mosaic art.

Hindu religion

In Hindu legends and stories

, the

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

god uses a

as his principal weapon. The trident is also said to represent three gunas mentioned in Indian Vedic philosophy namely sāttvika, rājasika, and tāmasika. The goddess

Kali Kali (; , ), also called Kalika, is a major goddess in Hinduism, primarily associated with time, death and destruction. Kali is also connected with transcendental knowledge and is the first of the ten Mahavidyas, a group of goddesses who p ...

is sometimes portrayed with a trident as well. A weapon of South-East Asian (particularly Thai) depiction of

Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...

, a character of

Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...

Miscellaneous

In religious

Taoism Taoism or Daoism (, ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China, emphasizing harmony with the Tao ( zh, p=dào, w=tao4). With a range of meaning in Chinese philosophy, translations of Tao include 'way', 'road', ' ...

, the trident represents the Taoist Trinity, the Three Pure Ones. In Taoist rituals, a trident bell is used to invite the presence of deities and summon spirits, as the trident signifies the highest authority of Heaven. A fork that Jewish priests (Kohanim) used to take their portions of offerings. Riistavesi

within the UK, the trident is often held by the figure identified as either a Neptune or a triton, or a merman. The trident held up by an arm is depicted on some coats-of-arms.

Use

Fishing

In Ancient Greece, the trident was employed as a harpoon for spearing large fish, especially tuna fishing. Tridents used in modern spear-fishing usually have barbed tines, which trap the speared fish firmly. In the Southern and

Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

, '' gigging'' is used for harvesting suckers, bullfrogs,

flounder Flounders are a group of flatfish species. They are demersal fish, found at the bottom of oceans around the world; some species will also enter estuary, estuaries. Taxonomy The name "flounder" is used for several only distantly related speci ...

and many species of rough fish.

Agriculture

It has been used by farmers as a decorticator to remove leaves, seeds and buds from the stalks of plants such as

flax Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. In 2022, France produced 75% of t ...

and

hemp Hemp, or industrial hemp, is a plant in the botanical class of ''Cannabis sativa'' cultivars grown specifically for industrial and consumable use. It can be used to make a wide range of products. Along with bamboo, hemp is among the fastest ...

. A form of trident is used by the gardians in the Camargue of southern France for herding cattle.

Combat

Ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...

tridents ( or ) were used by a type of gladiator called a '' retiarius'' or "net fighter". The ''retiarius'' was traditionally pitted against a '' secutor'', and cast a net to wrap his adversary and then used the trident to fight him. Tridents were also used in medieval

. The trident, known as dangpa, is used as a weapon in the 17th- to 18th-century systems of

Korean martial arts Korean martial arts ( or ) are fighting practices and methods which have their place in the history of Korea but have been adapted for use by both military and non-military personnel as a method of personal growth or recreation. The history of ...

Modern symbolism

The glyph or sigil of the planet

(♆), which alludes to the trident, is used in

astronomy Astronomy is a natural science that studies celestial objects and the phenomena that occur in the cosmos. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and their overall evolution. Objects of interest includ ...

and

astrology Astrology is a range of Divination, divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that propose that information about human affairs and terrestrial events may be discerned by studying the apparent positions ...

Political

* The Tryzub in the Coat of Arms of Ukraine, adopted in 1918 (in a reinterpretation of a medieval emblem which is traced to the Volodymyr the Great. * The national and presidential flags of Barbados. * The "forks of the people's anger", adopted by the Russian anti-Soviet revolutionary organization, National Alliance of Russian Solidarists (NTS). *

Britannia The image of Britannia () is the national personification of United Kingdom, Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used by the Romans in classical antiquity, the Latin was the name variously appli ...

, the personification of

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

usually depicted to hold a trident.

Civilian use

* The symbol for

Washington and Lee University Washington and Lee University (Washington and Lee or W&L) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States. Established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, it is among ...

(see * Washington and Lee Generals) * King Triton, the mascot of the

University of California, San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego in communications material, formerly and colloquially UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California, United States. Es ...

, holds a trident, and the trident is omnipresent in UCSD’s athletic gear (See UC San Diego Tritons) * The symbol (since June 2008) for the athletic teams (Tritons) at the

University of Missouri–St. Louis The University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL) is a Public university, public research university in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Established in 1963, it is the newest of the four universities in the University of Missouri System. Located ...

( UMSL Tritons). * Sparky the Sun Devil, the mascot of

, holds a trident. ASU recently redesigned its trident as a stand-alone symbol (See Arizona State Sun Devils) * The trident was used as the original cap insignia and original logo for the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...

. Although the Mariners changed their cap insignia & logo away from a trident theme in 1993, the club allows players to use a trident as a prop after hitting home runs during games. The trident prop used by the team is a replica from the 2018 film ''

''. * An element on the flag of the

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is a non-profit, marine conservation activism organization based in Friday Harbor, Washington, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Washington, in the United States. Sea Shepherd employs direct action t ...

. * The

logo. * Club Méditerranée. * The Hawker Siddeley Trident, a 1960s British three-engine jet airliner. * The Tirreno–Adriatico cycle race trophy. * The exterior of the World Trade Center used three-pronged decorative and structural elements at its base, commonly referred to as "tridents". * Manchester United F.C. * Crawley Town F.C. * Fredonia Blue Devils * Tampa Bay Tritons * White Rock Tritons * Nkana F.C.

Military insignia

* The emblem of the Hellenic Navy * The emblem of the Cyprus Navy * The insignia of Nepal Army * With

in the 31st Brigade. * The symbol of the Swedish Coastal Rangers, Kustjägarna. * The trident is a recurring element in the colours of certain units of the

Finnish Navy The Finnish Navy ( , ) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS", short for "Finnish Navy ship", but ...

. * The United States Naval Special Warfare Command, and the Special Warfare insignia, particularly worn by members of the US Navy SEALs, and containing a trident representing the three aspects (Sea, Air, and Land) of SEAL special operations. * Part of the golden-colored crest of the

, which depicts a trident running vertically in its background. In addition, the Naval Academy’s motto, ''Ex scientia tridens'', literally translates from Latin as "From knowledge, a trident", though the official translation is "From knowledge, seapower" (i.e. using the association of the trident with Poseidon/Neptune and other sea gods as a metaphor for naval might). * The ship's crests of 13 of the 18 Ohio-class submarines of the U.S. Navy prominently feature tridents, as both a symbol of maritime power, and in reference to their payloads of Trident D-5 missiles. * The rating badge of the United States Coast Guard Marine Science Technician. * The Tug Banner used by Mongolian Honor guards. * The insignia of the German

commando A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as oppo ...

force, Kampfschwimmer. * The rating badge of the United States Navy Ocean Systems Technician (OT)

Botanical nomenclature

A number of structures in the biological world are described as ''trident'' in appearance. Since at least the late 19th century the trident shape was applied to certain botanical shapes; for example, certain

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...

flora were described as having trident-tipped lips in early

botanical Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...

works. Furthermore, in current botanical literature, certain

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also lo ...

s are stated to have a trident-shape (e.g.

Douglas-fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is the tallest tree in the Pinaceae family. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Or ...

Gallery

File:statueofshiva.JPG, A statue of Hindu God Shiva, holding a ''trishula'', near Indira Gandhi International Airport,

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

File:Stone Doors of an Early Medieval Tomb, Ching-pien County.jpg, Two guardian deities of an ancient Chinese tomb, both holding tridents File:Trident, Burmese, 18th century.JPG, 18th-century trident from

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

File:Tridents (Trishul) brought as offerings to Guna Devi., near Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh.jpg, Tridents (''trishula'') brought as offerings to Guna Devi, near Dharamsala,

Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh (; Sanskrit: ''himācāl prādes;'' "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a States and union territories of India, state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen Indian Himalayan ...

, India File:Mas de l'Amarée 15.JPG, Camargue trident in France

Explanatory notes

References

;Citations ;Bibliography * * ; * {{Seattle Mariners 3 (number) Spears Ancient weapons Fishing equipment Greek sea gods Mythological objects Heraldic charges Poseidon Harpoons