# Trident with a outward curved tine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2014, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trident-with-a-outward-curved-tine/705197 "2014-11-20T21:10:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trident-with-a-outward-curved-tine/705197/21 "2014-11-23T20:49:37Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Not sure about that. A trident with a splayed tine would be functionally quite similar to some forms of pike. And this is why I stated that the tine that is curved is not simply splayed. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2014, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trident-with-a-outward-curved-tine/705197/22 "2014-11-23T23:36:29Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I know exactly what the OP is asking about, and have wondered about the significance as well. > > It is a trident with just one of the tines, either the left or right one, curved outward, while the other two are straight. I thought it may have had some kind of occult significance, but I haven’t yet found an example via Google. Still looking. YES! You described it perfectly. To those asking where I have seen it, I’ve seen it as street graffiti, as tattoos, and on clothing or doodled on tables etc. It does not look like the scorpio symbol, it is clearly a trident not a “M” shape like the scorpio symbol you can see the handle. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trident-with-a-outward-curved-tine/705197/23 "2014-11-24T00:00:39Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > And this is why I stated that the tine that is curved is not simply splayed. OK, but I don’t think that makes a difference to the comparison with a pike. Some pike heads have recurved hooks or blades on them. This is becoming one of those threads. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trident-with-a-outward-curved-tine/705197/24 "2014-11-24T00:10:33Z")
(for example the Bill-Guisarme: [Guisarme - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guisarme) ) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trident-with-a-outward-curved-tine/705197/25 "2014-11-24T00:12:18Z")
Like **these** tridents Poseidon carries? [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Poseidon_sculpture_Copenhagen_2005_hand.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Poseidon_sculpture_Copenhagen_2005_hand.jpg) [http://www.sylvie-tribut-astrologue.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/LE-TRIDENT-DE-POSEIDON.png](http://www.sylvie-tribut-astrologue.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/LE-TRIDENT-DE-POSEIDON.png) [![](http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120518182700/mythology/images/6/6f/Poseidon%27s_Trident.jpg) ](http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120518182700/mythology/images/6/6f/Poseidon%27s_Trident.jpg) [![](http://baltimoreknife.com/images/axes/trident1a.JPG) ](http://baltimoreknife.com/images/axes/trident1a.JPG) **Some** tridents are odd-shaped. Perhaps with good reason. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trident-with-a-outward-curved-tine/705197/26 "2014-11-24T01:27:38Z")
> [@grude](#): > > YES! You described it perfectly. > > To those asking where I have seen it, I’ve seen it as street graffiti, as tattoos, and on clothing or doodled on tables etc. > > It does not look like the scorpio symbol, it is clearly a trident not a “M” shape like the scorpio symbol you can see the handle. Does it not look like the gang symbol I posted before? If not, how is it different? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trident-with-a-outward-curved-tine/705197/27 "2014-11-24T01:48:27Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Does it not look like the gang symbol I posted before? If not, how is it different? It doesn’t look like that gang symbol, for one thing the pic you posted it just a symmetrical trident. Like I said this is a trident where one single outer tine is curved outward all the way to where the tip points in the opposite direction of the other two. You know what I know where I can take a pic of this symbol, and I will do so and post it so people can see. Guess I should have done that to start with.🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trident-with-a-outward-curved-tine/705197.md?page=1)