Help with African spearheads

noritasan · 15th July 2011, 08:58 PM

I recently found these African spearheads. The longest one is 31.6 inches, the barbed 13 and the black one 12.4 inches. Any help with origin and date will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

ericlaude · 16th July 2011, 04:20 AM

Hello Noritasan,
Your large spear head is typical Maasai of Kenya.

noritasan · 16th July 2011, 06:49 PM

Ericlaude,
Thank you for the information. Do you have any idea how old it could be?
Regards,

ericlaude · 16th July 2011, 09:30 PM

No, I don't know, it's possible that it was made in the end of 19 th , but I think middle of 20 th.

katana · 17th July 2011, 04:43 PM

Hi noritasan,
the barbed spear is probably Zande, Manbetu or Tabu, I have a few and they tend to be of excellent quality. The top spearhead could be Masai or Samburu, generally these spears are often well made/forged. I've often found that the quality of 19thC early 20thC are extremely good....on that basis yours is probably more recent. The Masai have been producing tourist items for some time and this particular spearhead could be souvenir. No idea as to the origins of the diamond shaped head.

Kind Regards David

noritasan · 18th July 2011, 10:05 PM

David,

Thanks a lot for all the data.

Regards,

15th July 2011, 08:58 PM	#1
noritasan Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 7	Help with African spearheads I recently found these African spearheads. The longest one is 31.6 inches, the barbed 13 and the black one 12.4 inches. Any help with origin and date will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Attached Images

16th July 2011, 04:20 AM	#2
ericlaude Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 187	Hello Noritasan, Your large spear head is typical Maasai of Kenya.

16th July 2011, 06:49 PM	#3
noritasan Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 7	Ericlaude, Thank you for the information. Do you have any idea how old it could be? Regards,

16th July 2011, 09:30 PM	#4
ericlaude Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 187	No, I don't know, it's possible that it was made in the end of 19 th , but I think middle of 20 th.

17th July 2011, 04:43 PM	#5
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi noritasan, the barbed spear is probably Zande, Manbetu or Tabu, I have a few and they tend to be of excellent quality. The top spearhead could be Masai or Samburu, generally these spears are often well made/forged. I've often found that the quality of 19thC early 20thC are extremely good....on that basis yours is probably more recent. The Masai have been producing tourist items for some time and this particular spearhead could be souvenir. No idea as to the origins of the diamond shaped head. Kind Regards David

18th July 2011, 10:05 PM	#6
noritasan Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 7	David, Thanks a lot for all the data. Regards,