Polynesian Spear ID help needed

The Double D · 11th June 2006, 10:09 AM

Need some help identifing this spear point. Can anyone tell what it might be?

Flavio · 11th June 2006, 11:06 AM

Hello Double D, welcome to the forum!! This is an african spear point. Take a look here

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=729

The Double D · 11th June 2006, 03:29 PM

Flavio,

Thanks for the welcome and thanks for the response. Polynesia was close only about 6,000 or so miles off.

Here is the stub of a shaft. The shaft to me looks to be some sort of recent add on. Does anyone have any idea what a correct shaft looks like? How long? What shape?

Would there be any reason to not make a more correct appearing shaft?

VANDOO · 11th June 2006, 06:16 PM

THE SHAFT SEEMS TO BE LEATHER COVERED WITH THE DECORATIVE BANDS AND PROBABLY MADE SHORT ON PURPOSE. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS ITEM WAS BEING USED FOR CEREMONYS AND DANCING IN ITS LATER LIFE. IF SO IT IS A VALID CEREMONIAL ETHINOGRAPHIC SPEAR WITH THE SHAFT IT HAS. DOES THE SHAFT LOOK BRAND NEW OR DOES IT SHOW AGE AND ACTUAL USE?
I HAVE ONE OF THESE SPEAR POINTS BUT NO SHAFT SO CAN'T BE OF MUCH HELP AS TO HOW AN ORIGINAL SPEAR SHAFT OF THIS TYPE LOOKED. EITHER WAY I WOULD NOT THROW AWAY THE SHAFT IT CAME WITH. GOOD LUCK

The Double D · 11th June 2006, 06:46 PM

The shaft looks older but "refitted".

The Double D · 18th June 2006, 12:04 PM

In the week that I have been a Spear collector I have learned that the Zande were a very small tribe that made all kinds of weapons in all sorts of configurations.

All I can find about the Zande seems to indcate that they were primarily farmers and did some hunting.

From the large numbers of knives and swords credit to them they also appear to have been ironmongers also.

Why so many different types of weapons from such a small group of people.

This spear, would it be primarily ceremonial? Decorative? Hunting? Fighting?

11th June 2006, 10:09 AM	#1
The Double D Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the banks of Cut Bank Creek, Montana Posts: 189	Zande not Polynesian Spear Identified Need some help identifing this spear point. Can anyone tell what it might be? Attached Images Last edited by The Double D; 11th June 2006 at 03:33 PM.

11th June 2006, 03:29 PM	#3
The Double D Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the banks of Cut Bank Creek, Montana Posts: 189	Flavio, Thanks for the welcome and thanks for the response. Polynesia was close only about 6,000 or so miles off. Here is the stub of a shaft. The shaft to me looks to be some sort of recent add on. Does anyone have any idea what a correct shaft looks like? How long? What shape? Would there be any reason to not make a more correct appearing shaft? Attached Images

11th June 2006, 11:06 AM	#2
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello Double D, welcome to the forum!! This is an african spear point. Take a look here http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=729

11th June 2006, 06:16 PM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE SHAFT SEEMS TO BE LEATHER COVERED WITH THE DECORATIVE BANDS AND PROBABLY MADE SHORT ON PURPOSE. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS ITEM WAS BEING USED FOR CEREMONYS AND DANCING IN ITS LATER LIFE. IF SO IT IS A VALID CEREMONIAL ETHINOGRAPHIC SPEAR WITH THE SHAFT IT HAS. DOES THE SHAFT LOOK BRAND NEW OR DOES IT SHOW AGE AND ACTUAL USE? I HAVE ONE OF THESE SPEAR POINTS BUT NO SHAFT SO CAN'T BE OF MUCH HELP AS TO HOW AN ORIGINAL SPEAR SHAFT OF THIS TYPE LOOKED. EITHER WAY I WOULD NOT THROW AWAY THE SHAFT IT CAME WITH. GOOD LUCK

11th June 2006, 06:46 PM	#5
The Double D Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the banks of Cut Bank Creek, Montana Posts: 189	The shaft looks older but "refitted".

18th June 2006, 12:04 PM	#6
The Double D Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: On the banks of Cut Bank Creek, Montana Posts: 189	In the week that I have been a Spear collector I have learned that the Zande were a very small tribe that made all kinds of weapons in all sorts of configurations. All I can find about the Zande seems to indcate that they were primarily farmers and did some hunting. From the large numbers of knives and swords credit to them they also appear to have been ironmongers also. Why so many different types of weapons from such a small group of people. This spear, would it be primarily ceremonial? Decorative? Hunting? Fighting?