Celtic
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Photograph: An Etruscan bronze spearhead. Two barb-like wings extend behind a long triangular blade with a central ridge.
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ArchiveCeltic · Weapon
Spear of Lugh
Sleá Lugha
No battle can be won against the one who holds it.
- Owner
- Lugh, god of light and skill
- Maker
- Unknown
- First record
- Book of Invasions (Lebor Gabála Érenn)1100
- Gallery
- Celtic
Notes on the photograph 3
Story
Lugh is a god skilled in every art. When he first arrived at the Tuatha Dé Danann's palace at Tara and the doorkeeper asked what he could do, he named smith, poet, physician, warrior and sorcerer in turn, and entered because he alone possessed them all.
No battle could be won against the holder of his spear from Gorias. Later stories say the spear so thirsted for blood and shot out such flames that it had to be kept in water when not in use.
At the second battle of Mag Tuired Lugh faced Balor, one-eyed king of the Fomorians. When Balor opened the eye that killed everything it saw, Lugh pierced it and ended the fight.
The object in the photo
The photograph shows Spear Head(Etruscan, ca. 750–90 BCE), a real museum object that evokes the legendary artifact.
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