Editing Spear (section)

===Symbolism===
[[File:Odin rides to Hel.jpg|thumb|The Norse god [[Odin]], carrying the spear [[Gungnir]] on his ride to [[Hel (location)|Hel]]]]
Like many weapons, a spear may also be a [[symbol]] of power.

The [[Celts]] would symbolically destroy a dead warrior's spear either to prevent its use by another or as a sacrificial offering.

In classical Greek mythology [[Zeus]]' bolts of lightning may be interpreted as a symbolic spear. Some would carry that interpretation to the spear that frequently is associated with [[Athena]], interpreting her spear as a symbolic connection to some of Zeus' power beyond the [[Aegis]] once he rose to replacing other deities in the [[Pantheon (gods)|pantheon]]. Athena was depicted with a spear prior to that change in myths, however. [[Chiron]]'s wedding-gift to [[Peleus]] when he married the nymph [[Thetis]] in classical Greek mythology, was an ashen spear as the nature of ashwood with its straight grain made it an ideal choice of wood for a spear.

The Romans and their early enemies would force prisoners to walk underneath a 'yoke of spears', which humiliated them. The yoke would consist of three spears, two upright with a third tied between them at a height which made the prisoners stoop.<ref>{{cite book |title=Greece and Rome at War |last= Connolly|first=Peter|year=1981 |publisher=Macdonald Phoebus |location= London|isbn=978-0-356-06798-8 |page=89}}</ref> It has been suggested that the arrangement has a [[magic (paranormal)|magical]] origin, a way to trap evil spirits.<ref>M. Cary and A. D. Nock. "Magic Spears". ''The Classical Quarterly'', Vol. 21, No. 3/4 (June–October 1927), pp. 122–127</ref>

In Norse mythology, the god [[Odin]]'s spear (named [[Gungnir]]) was made by the sons of Ivaldi. It had the special property that it never missed its mark. During the War with the Vanir, Odin symbolically threw Gungnir into the Vanir host. This practice of symbolically casting a spear into the enemy ranks at the start of a fight was sometimes used in historic clashes, to seek Odin's support in the coming battle.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Norse Myths |last=Crossley-Holland |first=Kevin|year=1982 |publisher=Penguin|location=London|isbn=978-0-14-006056-0|pages= 51,197}}</ref> In [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]]'s opera ''[[Siegfried (opera)|Siegfried]]'', the haft of Gungnir is said to be from the "World-Tree" [[Yggdrasil]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/scores/bhr0215/large/index.html |title=Score: BHR0215 |website=Dlib.indiana.edu |access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref>

Other spears of religious significance are the [[Holy Lance]]<ref>{{cite book|editor=E. A. Livingstone |url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t95.e3317 |title=Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church |year = 2006|publisher=Oxford Reference |isbn = 978-0-19-861442-5|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> and the [[Spear Luin|Lúin of Celtchar]],<ref>{{cite book|first=James |last=MacKillop |url=http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t70.e3094 |title=Dictionary of Celtic Mythology |date = January 2004|publisher=Oxford Reference |isbn = 978-0-19-860967-4|access-date=2017-01-09}}</ref> believed by some to have vast mystical powers.

[[James Frazer|Sir James George Frazer]] in ''[[The Golden Bough]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/3623/3623-h/3623-h.htm|title=The Golden Bough |via= Project Gutenberg}}</ref> noted the phallic nature of the spear and suggested that in the Arthurian legends the spear or lance functioned as a symbol of male fertility, paired with the [[Grail]] (as a symbol of female fertility).

[[File:Gombak Selangor Batu-Caves-01.jpg|thumb|upright|Statue of the Hindu God of War, [[Kartikeya|Murugan]], holding his primary weapon, the ''[[Vel]]''. [[Batu Caves]], [[Malaysia]].]]
The Hindu god of war [[Kartikeya|Murugan]] is worshipped by [[Tamils]] in the form of the spear called ''[[Vel]]'', which is his primary weapon.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0AevljBmCRQC&q=vel+tamil+weapon&pg=PA192|title=The Many Faces of Murukan̲: The History and Meaning of a South Indian God|last=Clothey|first=Fred W.|date=1978|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=9789027976321|language=en}}</ref>

The term ''spear'' is also used (in a somewhat archaic manner) to describe the male line of a family, as opposed to the [[distaff]] or female line.