A fork is a pole weapon which was used in war in Europe between the 15th and 19th centuries. Like many polearms, the military fork traces its lineage to an agricultural tool, in this case the pitchfork. Unlike a trident used for fishing, the military fork was rarely barbed and normally only consisted of two tines (prongs) which were straight compared to the original pitchfork. The pair of tines usually ran parallel or slightly flared.