|
31st December 2012, 02:36 PM | #1 |
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 841
|
African spear for ID
The spear was bought in Addis Ababa, but, acc. to the seller, it is comming from Sudan. I donīt know, if he is true or not. Nevertheless, based on this and also on the picture from and advanturous story (enclosed) I put it together with some other Sudanese items. But of course the arrangement on the wall could be pure fanthasy, since Sudanese mostly used big spears with hearth shaped wide spearheads... So please, if anybody has similar spear or saw it in the literature, give me advice.
The spear is, I would say, from heavier cathegory (not only the head but also the wooden poart), it is 240 cms long, from which 79 cms makes the spearhead. Max. width of spearhead is 3.5 cms (lentil cross-section), 7 cms in widened part. Brass strips are original. Regards, Martin |
31st December 2012, 02:52 PM | #2 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: OKLAHOMA, USA
Posts: 3,138
|
LOOKING GOOD!! A NICE DISPLAY AND ITS COOL TO FIND A PICTURE SHOWING SOMETHING SIMULAR. WHAT ARE THE LITTLE BAGS HANGING ON THE SPEAR?
|
31st December 2012, 03:05 PM | #3 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 1,693
|
Hi Martin,
That's a fantastic spear! I never saw a similar one. Hopefully one of the experts like Wolf can comment. I really like it though, because of the size and weight I guess it was intended for use from horseback? |
31st December 2012, 03:34 PM | #4 |
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 841
|
Thanks.
This is something like small old bottles made of leather. The leather is very thin, but bottle side is hard, not elastic. It is also from Addis, but I do not kow what was it used for. Looks like snuff containers or maybe gun powder dossage (?) Very strange is that the "bottle" is not sewn together, it is made from one piece of very thin leather without any stitch |
31st December 2012, 03:39 PM | #5 |
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 841
|
Hi Iain, I do not know, maybe from horseback.
|
31st December 2012, 03:49 PM | #6 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Germany, Dortmund
Posts: 8,761
|
Beautiful display!
|
31st December 2012, 04:34 PM | #7 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 33
|
that is a very impressive display. I just love it!
|
31st December 2012, 06:29 PM | #8 |
Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Mother North
Posts: 189
|
What a great and brutal looking spear! Thanks for posting, Martin!
I have a suggestion though, which may clarify the origin of the cool little, stitchless pouches. Maybe one should ask oneself, "Which part of the mammal body produces such pouch-like structures...?" Hint: They're only found on around 50% of all individuals. I also really like your wall display! Hope the spear belongs there, because it looks so good with your Sudanese stuff. I'm sure one of our sub-Saharan specialists will drop by and weigh in. Enjoy and happy New Years, - Thor |
4th January 2013, 04:45 PM | #9 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,430
|
I don't recognise this spear - but that type of strip brass, copper or iron wrap is usually to be found on spears and knives from Central Africa - Congo area...
Regards. |
5th January 2013, 12:31 PM | #10 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Germany
Posts: 75
|
Martin, could it be that the iron pike is at least a massive spear shoe? Sure it's big, but I know other who are bigger. I also have two Tanzania spears with such round flatted ends, but much smaller.....only an idea.
|
5th January 2013, 04:09 PM | #11 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,806
|
I tend to agree with Colin on the Central African origin. That heavier copper work reminds me much Central/Congo work or at least Mangbetu in the southern border of what was Sudan/Congo. I also belive the metal point that Martin shows is the blade and not the shoe. I have this spear which I think must be related to the one Martin shows us. What do you think? I do not think it is East African? not far east of the lakes?
|
6th January 2013, 12:49 PM | #12 |
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Czech Republic
Posts: 841
|
The metal part is real blade. Copper work reminds Central Afrika, thatīs true. On the other side, I was in Ethiopia several times from 1995 till 2012 and I lived there a few years. So as far as original items except of Ethiopian weapons and artefacts are concerned - I saw pieces from Sudan (e.g. kaskaras, daggers,their jabena types etc), from Yemen (jambias), Somalia (bilawas, small shields, headrest etc) relatively often. And of course from Eritrea (rare Kunama daggers, kaskaras, Rashida jewelery) in the museums or on the market in Addis. From Kenya only very, very seldom (just headrests) and never anything from the central Afrika (like DRC territory or CAR). It may be, that traffic connection from that territories to Addis was/ is rather complicated (?), or the bad secirity situation is against such movement, or there is no Ethiopian presence there.... I donīknow. This, of course, is not any proof, nevertheless it empirically decreases probability, that the big item like this spear comes from that region.
Regards, Martin |
|
|