Spear is one of the oldest weapons known to human beings. People have used spears for hunting and in warfare since prehistoric times. A spear consists of a long pole or shaft with a sharply pointed head. The earliest spears were wooden shafts that had one end sharpened to a point. Later spears had heads made of bone, chipped stone, bronze, and iron. 
In warfare, spears can be used in two basic ways. They can either be hurled or used for stabbing. Ancient Greek warriors often carried two spears—a light spear for throwing and a heavier one for close combat.
Throughout history, various types of spears have been used by infantry and cavalry. For example, spears as long as 20 feet (6 meters) were carried by Greek foot soldiers and helped make the phalanx, introduced by the Greeks in the 600’s B.C., an effective military formation (see Army (Ancient armies)). A similar weapon, known as a pike, became popular with infantry during the Renaissance in Europe. During the Middle Ages, knights on horseback fought with strong, heavy spears called lances. Lances were widely used among European cavalry soldiers until about 1600.
The use of spears for close combat declined during the 1700’s, with the increasing popularity of the bayonet. Today, spears are still used for hunting, fishing, and warfare in some parts of the world.
