Harpoon is an arrow-shaped weapon used to spear large fish and other sea animals, such as whales. A long, coiled line is tied to the harpoon. When the harpoon strikes, the weapon’s barbed point becomes firmly anchored in the flesh of the target. Traditional harpoons are thrown by hand from small boats, and this method is still practiced by some Inuit hunters. Modern whalers developed harpoons tipped with explosives and fired from powerful guns. See also Whale (Whaling) .
