Trident facts for kids

For other uses, see Trident (disambiguation).

The Trident of Poseidon, a famous three-pronged spear.

A trident is a special kind of spear with three sharp points, called tines. People have used tridents for a very long time. They are great for spear fishing because the three points make it easier to catch a fish. The tines also help keep the fish from getting away. In the past, tridents were also used as a polearm, which is a long weapon.

The trident is a powerful symbol. In Greek mythology, the mighty sea god Poseidon carries a trident. In Roman mythology, his equivalent, Neptune, also uses one to protect the oceans. Other sea gods and goddesses, like Amphitrite and Triton, are often shown with tridents too. In Hinduism, the god Shiva uses a trident called a trishula. It's also a well-known symbol for the superhero Aquaman. Many navies, like the Hellenic Navy and the United States Navy SEALs, use the trident in their emblems. You can also see tridents in logos for companies like Maserati and sports teams like Manchester United F.C. and Arizona State University.

What is a Trident?
- Where Does the Word "Trident" Come From?
Tridents in Ancient Stories and Art
How Tridents Were Used
Tridents in Today's World
Images for kids
See also

What is a Trident?

A trident is a spear with three points. These points are called tines. The word "trident" helps us understand what it is.

Where Does the Word "Trident" Come From?

The word "trident" comes from Latin. It combines tri, meaning "three," and dentes, meaning "teeth." So, it literally means "three teeth," referring to its three sharp points.

The Greek word for trident is tríaina. This word also means "threefold."

In Sanskrit, the language of ancient India, the trident is called a trishula. This word means "triple-thorn." It describes the three points as thorns.

Tridents in Ancient Stories and Art

Tridents appear in many old stories and artworks. They are often linked to powerful gods and mythical creatures.

The Fountain of Neptune in Diafáni, Karpathos island, shows the god with his trident.

Poseidon, God of the Sea

The trident is most famous as the tool of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. It was said that giant one-eyed creatures called cyclopes made his special trident.

Stories say that Poseidon once struck a rock with his trident. This caused a spring of saltwater to appear on the Acropolis in Athens. Roman myths tell us that Neptune, the Roman sea god, struck the earth with his trident to create the first warhorse.

Poseidon was also known as the "Earth Shaker." People believed he caused earthquakes. Some think he used his trident to strike the earth and make these tremors.

A famous sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini called Neptune and Triton shows Neptune holding his trident downwards. This artwork shows him calming the ocean waves. He did this to help the ships of a hero named Aeneas.

Other Sea Gods and Goddesses

Over time, other sea deities were also shown with tridents. Amphitrite, Poseidon's wife, is sometimes depicted with sea symbols. However, she usually does not carry a trident herself.

Creatures that follow sea gods, like the Tritons (who are mermen), are often seen holding tridents. The Old Man of the Sea and the god Nereus also carry them. These sea beings might also carry rudders, oars, fish, or dolphins.

The Trishula in Hindu Beliefs

In Hinduism, the god Shiva uses a trishula as his main weapon. This trident is very important. It is said to represent three important qualities in Indian philosophy: purity, passion, and darkness. The goddess Kali is also sometimes shown with a trident.

A character named Hanuman from the Indian epic Ramayana is sometimes shown with a trident in Southeast Asian art, especially in Thailand.

Tridents in Other Cultures

In Taoism, a Chinese religion, the trident stands for the Taoist Trinity. These are the Three Pure Ones. During Taoist ceremonies, a trident bell is used. It helps invite gods and spirits, as the trident shows the highest power of Heaven.

A trident is part of the coat of arms for Riistavesi, a former town in Finland.

In heraldry, which is the study of coats of arms, a trident is often held by a merman or a figure of Neptune. You can see an arm holding a trident on some coats-of-arms.

How Tridents Were Used

Tridents were not just symbols. They had many practical uses throughout history.

Dutch fishermen using tridents in the 17th century to catch fish.

Catching Fish

In Ancient Greece, people used tridents like harpoons. They would spear large fish, especially tuna.

Today, tridents used for spear-fishing often have barbed tines. These barbs help to firmly hold the fish once it's speared. In parts of the Southern and Midwestern United States, people use tridents for catching fish like suckers and flounder. They also catch bullfrogs.

Helping on the Farm

Farmers also used a type of trident. They used it as a tool to remove leaves, seeds, and buds from plants. This was common for plants like flax and hemp. In the Camargue region of southern France, cowboys called gardians use a form of trident. They use it to herd cattle.

Weapons in Battle

In Ancient Rome, a type of gladiator called a retiarius used tridents. A retiarius was a "net fighter." They would try to trap their opponent, a secutor, with a net. Then, they would use their trident to fight.

Tridents were also used in medieval heraldry as symbols.

In 17th and 18th-century Korean martial arts, a weapon called a dangpa was used. This weapon was a type of trident.

Tridents in Today's World

The trident is still a powerful and recognizable symbol today. It appears in many different places.

The Coat of arms of Ukraine features a trident, known as the Tryzub.

The flag of Barbados proudly displays a broken trident.

Symbols for Countries and Groups

The Tryzub, a trident symbol, is on the Coat of Arms of Ukraine. It was adopted in 1918. This symbol has roots in medieval emblems.
The national flag of Barbados includes a trident.
Britannia, a figure representing Great Britain, is often shown holding a trident.

Company Logos and Sports Teams

The symbol for Washington and Lee University's sports teams.
King Triton, the mascot for the University of California, San Diego, holds a trident. The trident is seen on their athletic gear.
The symbol for the sports teams (Tritons) at the University of Missouri–St. Louis since June 2008.
Sparky the Sun Devil, the mascot of Arizona State University, holds a trident. The university redesigned its trident as a stand-alone symbol.
The Seattle Mariners baseball team used a trident as their original logo. While they changed it in 1993, players sometimes use a trident prop after hitting home runs. This prop is a replica from the 2018 Aquaman movie.
An element on the flag of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.
The Maserati car company uses a trident in its logo.
Club Méditerranée, a travel company, uses a trident.
The Hawker Siddeley Trident was a British jet airliner from the 1960s.
The trophy for the Tirreno–Adriatico cycle race.
The original World Trade Center buildings had three-pronged designs at their base. These were often called "tridents."
Manchester United F.C., a famous soccer team.
Crawley Town F.C., another soccer team.
Fredonia Blue Devils, a university sports team.
Tampa Bay Tritons, a sports team.
White Rock Tritons, a sports team.
Nkana F.C., a soccer team.

Military Badges and Emblems

The emblem of the Hellenic Navy features a trident.

The emblem of the Hellenic Navy (Greece's navy).
The emblem of the Cyprus Navy.
The insignia of the Nepal Army.
The 31st Brigade in France uses Poseidon with a trident.
The symbol for the Swedish Coastal Rangers, Kustjägarna.
The trident is often seen in the colors of some units of the Finnish Navy.
The United States Naval Special Warfare Command uses a trident. It is part of the Special Warfare insignia worn by US Navy SEALs. The trident represents their skills in Sea, Air, and Land operations.
A golden trident is part of the crest of the United States Naval Academy. Their motto, Ex scientia tridens, means "From knowledge, seapower." This links the trident to naval strength.
Many Ohio-class submarines in the U.S. Navy feature tridents on their crests. This symbolizes sea power and their Trident D-5 missiles.
The badge for the United States Coast Guard Marine Science Technician.
The Tug Banner used by Mongolian Honor guards.
The insignia of the German commando force, Kampfschwimmer.
The badge for the United States Navy Ocean Systems Technician.

Images for kids

A statue of Hindu God Shiva, holding a trishula, near Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
Two guardian deities of an ancient Chinese tomb, both holding tridents
An 18th-century trident from Thailand
Tridents (trishula) brought as offerings to Guna Devi, near Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India
A Camargue trident used in France for herding cattle