Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - African spears. Tourist stuff or genuine weapons?

VANDOO · 3rd January 2007, 05:50 PM

THEY ARE ALL MASAI ITEMS, THE HIDE COVER WITH BEADS GOES ON THE SMALL SPEAR POINT. THE LARGER SPEAR POINT IS THE BLADE OF A MASAI LION SPEAR AND THE SPIKE IS THE OTHER END OF THE SAME SPEAR(THE BUTT SPIKE). THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SHORT PIECE OF WOOD CONECTING THE TWO PARTS. THE SPEARS ARE STILL CARRIED AND USED BY THE MASAI AND ARE ALSO SOLD TO TOURISTS. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IN THE SPEARS IS IF THE MASAI BUYS IT FROM THE SHOP AND CARRIES IT THEN ITS THE REAL THING IF ON THE OTHER HAND A TOURIST BUYS IT FROM THE SAME SHOP IT IS A TOURIST SOUVINEER.

PICTURE OF MASAI WITH OLD FORMS OF LION SPEARS NOTE HOW LONG THE BLADES ARE.

3rd January 2007, 05:50 PM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THEY ARE ALL MASAI ITEMS, THE HIDE COVER WITH BEADS GOES ON THE SMALL SPEAR POINT. THE LARGER SPEAR POINT IS THE BLADE OF A MASAI LION SPEAR AND THE SPIKE IS THE OTHER END OF THE SAME SPEAR(THE BUTT SPIKE). THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SHORT PIECE OF WOOD CONECTING THE TWO PARTS. THE SPEARS ARE STILL CARRIED AND USED BY THE MASAI AND ARE ALSO SOLD TO TOURISTS. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IN THE SPEARS IS IF THE MASAI BUYS IT FROM THE SHOP AND CARRIES IT THEN ITS THE REAL THING IF ON THE OTHER HAND A TOURIST BUYS IT FROM THE SAME SHOP IT IS A TOURIST SOUVINEER. PICTURE OF MASAI WITH OLD FORMS OF LION SPEARS NOTE HOW LONG THE BLADES ARE. Attached Images