lance

Given the martial nature of the origins of Heraldry, in the identification of knights and men-at-arms it can come as no surprise that mediaeval weaponry of all types are frequently to be found in a coat of arms Boutell’s Heraldry, J.P. Brooke-Little, Warne, (revised Edition) London 1970, P 89. The spear or lance is a typical example, often borne (for obvious reasons) in allusion to the crucifixtion. The Symbolisms of Heraldry, W. Cecil Wade, George Redway, London, 1898 P111 Sometimes only the head is shown, and on other occasions the tilting or tournament spear is specified, familiar to us from many a jousting scene in the movies. A Glossary of Terms used in British Heraldry, J.H. Parker, Oxford, 1894, Entry:Spear