Trident (Period)

Ukrainian trident head (Accepted)

A trident is a three-pronged spear, used by fishermen and Roman gladiators; in classical art, it was borne as a scepter by the sea-god Neptune.  Its head resembles that of a barbed fork.  The trident is a period charge, found in the arms of von Streithorst, 1605 [Siebmacher 182].  It is palewise, tines to chief, by default.

The “trident head” alone, without the haft, is also found as a charge, in the arms of von Krottendorff or Krotendorf, c.1450 [Ingeram 18; also BSB 390:854, c.1560].  It’s similar to a depiction of the “eel-spear” [Guillim1 220] or “salmon spear” [Parker 220]; but unlike those charges, the trident head, like the trident, has its tines to chief by default.

A variant form, the “Ukrainian trident (head)”, is found in the modern arms of Ukraine; tradition has made it a totem of the Rurik dynasty.  For related charges, see eel-fork, pole-arm.  See also weapons.

The Baron of Marinus bears:  Argent chaussé ployé per pale vert and azure, a trident sable its head environed of a laurel wreath vert.

Lennán mac Neill bears:  Vert, three tridents argent.

Wilhelm von Frankfurt bears:  Per bend sinister azure and purpure, a trident’s head inverted Or.

Bogdan Kobzar bears:  Per chevron azure and argent, two Ukrainian trident heads Or and a kobza sable.