Why are flagpole tips spear-shaped?

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The "Flag elements" section of the "Glossary of vexilology" on Wikpedia says about finials: "Often shaped like a sphere, but can also be a shape with heraldic significance, such as a spear or an eagle."

I'm not finding any sources that explicitly support the speculation that ancient flags hung from spears. The book Flags of the Napoleonic Wars mentions the use spear finials for Bavarian and Naples flags in the early 19th century, but I'm not sure how much further back the practice may go.

Is there a specific flag with which you are used to seeing a spear? It might be easier to trace the history of spear finials with that particular flag.

Brian Z 18314

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Source: stackoverflow.com

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