View source for Tripod

{{Short description|Portable three-legged frame or stand}}
{{About|a three-legged piece of equipment|the Alice in Chains album sometimes known as "Tripod"|Alice in Chains (album)|5=Tripod (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2016}}

A '''tripod''' is a portable three-legged frame or stand, used as a platform for supporting the [[weight]] and maintaining the stability of some other object. The three-legged (triangular stance) design provides good stability against gravitational loads as well as horizontal [[shear force]]s, and better leverage for resisting tipping over due to lateral forces can be achieved by spreading the legs away from the vertical centre.
Variations with one, two, and four legs are termed ''[[monopod]]'', ''[[bipod]]'', and ''quadripod'' (similar to a [[Table (furniture)|table]]).

==Etymology==
{{Special characters|section=section}}
First attested in English in the early 17th century, the word ''tripod'' comes via [[Latin]] ''tripodis'' (<small>[[genitive|GEN]]</small> of ''tripus''),<ref>{{L&S|tripus|ref}}</ref><ref>{{OEtymD|tripod|}}</ref> which is the [[romanization]] of [[Greek language|Greek]] {{lang|grc|τρίπους}} (''tripous''), "three-footed" (<small>GEN</small> {{lang|grc|τρίποδος}}, ''tripodos''),<ref>{{LSJ|tri/pous|τρίπους|ref}}</ref> ultimately from {{lang|grc|τρι-}} (''tri-''), "three times"<ref>{{LSJ|tri^|τρι-|shortref}}.</ref> (from {{lang|grc|τρία}}, ''tria'', "three")<ref>{{LSJ|tri/a|τρία|shortref}}.</ref> + {{lang|grc|πούς}} (''pous''), "foot".<ref>{{LSJ|pou/s|πούς|shortref}}.</ref> The earliest attested form of the word is the [[Mycenaean Greek]] {{lang|gmy|𐀴𐀪𐀠}}, ''ti-ri-po'', written in [[Linear B]] syllabic script.<ref>''ti-ri-po'' is found on the [[PY Ta 641]] and PY Ta 709 tablets. {{lang|gmy|𐀴𐀪𐀠𐀆}}, ''ti-ri-po-de'' (found on the PY Ta 641 tablet), is the [[nominative|NOM]] [[Dual (grammatical number)|dual]] form of the word. {{cite web |url=http://www.palaeolexicon.com/default.aspx?static=12&wid=559 |title=The Linear B word ti-ri-po-de|publisher=Palaeolexicon. Word study tool of ancient languages}} {{cite web|url=http://minoan.deaditerranean.com/resources/linear-b-sign-groups/ti/ti-ri-po-de/|title=ti-ri-po|work=Minoan Linear A & Mycenaean Linear B|last=Raymoure|first=K.A.|publisher=Deaditerranean}} {{cite web|title=PY 641 Ta (2)|url=https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/4972}} {{cite web|title=PY 709 Ta (2)|website=DĀMOS: Database of Mycenaean at Oslo|url=https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/4976|publisher=[[University of Oslo]]}}</ref>

== Cultural use ==
{{main|Sacrificial tripod}}

[[Image:Liu Ding.jpg|thumb|A ''[[ding (vessel)|ding]]'' (Chinese ceremonial cauldron) from the late [[Shang dynasty]].]]
Many cultures, including the ancient peoples of [[China]] and [[Greece]], used tripods as [[Ornament (art)|ornaments]], [[trophies]], sacrificial [[altars]], cooking vessels or cauldrons, and decorative ceramic pottery. Tripod pottery have been part of the archaeological assemblage in China since the earliest Neolithic cultures of [[Cishan culture|Cishan]] and [[Peiligang]] in the 7th and 8th millennia BC.<ref>{{cite book|author-link1=Miriam Stark|last=Stark|first=Miriam T.|title=Archaeology of Asia|year=2006|publisher=Blackwell Publishing|isbn=978-1-4051-0213-1|page=44}}</ref> Sacrificial tripods were found in use in ancient [[China]] usually cast in bronze but sometimes appearing in ceramic form.<ref name="EBERHARD">{{cite book |first=Eberhard |last=Wolfram |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17695 |title=''A History of China'' |location=Berkeley and Los Angeles |publisher= University of California Press, 3rd edition, 1969. Cf. p.49 for illustration of Ancient bronze tripod found at Anyang}}</ref> They are often referred to as "[[Ding (vessel)|dings]]" and usually have three legs, but in some usages have four legs.

The Chinese use sacrificial tripods symbolically in modern times, such as in 2005, when a "National Unity Tripod" made of bronze was presented by the central Chinese government to the government of northwest China's [[Xinjiang|Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region]] to mark its fiftieth birthday. It was described as a traditional Chinese sacrificial vessel symbolizing unity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200510/01/eng20051001_212056.html |title=National Unity Tripod presented to mark Xinjiang's 50th birthday |publisher= People's Daily |location= China |date=October 1, 2005}}</ref>

In ancient Greece, tripods were frequently used to support [[lebes]], or cauldrons, sometimes for cooking and other uses such as supporting vases.

==Firearms==
{{main|Weapon mount}}
[[File:US Navy 070406-N-0775Y-078 Equipment Operator 1st Class Shannon Farber instructs Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Carmichael Yepez how to aim a M-240B machine gun during a weapons training exercise at a range in Camp Han.jpg|thumb|right|[[Seabee (US Navy)|Seabees]] train with the [[M240B]] mounted on the [[M122 tripod]].]]

Tripods are commonly used on machine guns to provide a stable mount for the weapon when firing.<ref name="army study guide tripod">{{cite web |title=M122 Tripod |url=http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/m249/m122-tripod.shtml |website=Army Study Guide |access-date=25 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511140500/http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/m249/m122-tripod.shtml |archive-date=11 May 2021}}</ref>

Tripods are generally restricted to heavier weapons where the weight would be an encumbrance. For lighter weapons such as [[rifle]]s, a [[bipod]] is more common. However, in recent times [[tripod saddle]]s have become popular for precision rifle shooting sports, with the weapon placed in a [[vise]]-like rest which is mounted to a [[tripod head]]<ref name="hog saddle interrview">{{cite web |last1=Zant |first1=Cal |title=Shooting Rest: HOG Saddle & PIG Saddle Review |url=https://precisionrifleblog.com/2014/03/26/shooting-rest-hog-saddle-review/ |website=Precision Rifle Blog |access-date=25 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621183611/https://precisionrifleblog.com/2014/03/26/shooting-rest-hog-saddle-review/ |archive-date=21 June 2021 |date=26 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="sniper central hog saddle">{{cite web |last1=Ewing |first1=Melvin |title=Other Product Review HOG SADDLE – FULL REVIEW |url=https://snipercentral.com/hog-saddle-full-review/ |website=Sniper Central |access-date=25 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830195320/https://snipercentral.com/hog-saddle-full-review/ |archive-date=30 August 2021 |date=30 August 2021}}</ref> or with the weapon mounted directly to the tripod head.

==Photography==
{{excerpt|Tripod (photography)}}

==Surveying==
{{excerpt|Tripod (surveying)|files=no}}

==Astronomy==
The astronomical tripod is a sturdy three-leg stand used to support telescopes or binoculars, though they may also be used to support attached cameras or ancillary equipment. The astronomical tripod is normally fitted with an [[Altazimuth mount|altazimuth]] or [[equatorial mount]] to assist in tracking celestial bodies.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Universe Today |title=Telescope and Tripod |date=21 May 2008 |url=http://www.universetoday.com/guide-to-space/telescopes/telescope-tripod/ }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Rotoni, Vito |title=Telescope Support Stand System: Background of the Invention |publisher=U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 7048238 |date=23 May 2003 |url=http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/7048238/description.html |access-date=27 August 2009 |archive-date=2 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402172622/http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/7048238/description.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Laboratory ==
[[File:Laboratory tripod.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Laboratory tripod]]
{{Excerpt|Tripod (laboratory)|files=no}}

== See also ==
* [[ISO 1222]] (tripod screw mount)
* [[Trivet]]
* [[Triskelion]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Wiktionary-inline|tripod}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Tripods}}
*[https://www.desirenation.com/top-5-best-tripods-for-iphone-photography// Complete information of tripods]

[[Category:Firearm components]]
[[Category:Photography equipment]]
[[Category:Tools]]