Thank you both, Luc and Ispn, for your input
According to Spring 'African arms and armour' ...."in addition a javelin,
tarda with iron head and wooden shaft was reserved to the
Imrad and
Iklan classes only......"
The Imrad were the vassel class (immediately below the Ihaggaren ...the Aristocratic class) The Iklan were ....."composed of negroid peoples who over many centuries had been captured in warfare or bought as slaves....."
Kind Regards David