Masai? Spear

[Pertinax]

The book can be read and downloaded:

https://library.si.edu/digital-libra...irlangua00holl

[Lee]

Originally Posted by Pertinax

The book can be read and downloaded

Thank you Pertinax for your useful summary of the most relevant parts (to us) and the link to the entire old book.
Sad to say, no such eureka as the spear in the first post at this year's flea market. A nice Luristan dagger last year though.

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you Yuri!! Fantastic info!
I finally found the Maasai spears and shield I got many years ago. The one with the narrower black grip area is oldest I believe, possibly 1920s or slightly earlier. The other newer probably 40s or 50s. The shield is too small to be likely authentically used so probably ceremonial/ souvenir?

The older spear has a good number of notches, which I think were signifying rank, age ??? with warrior.

I recently watched "The Ghost in the Darkness" with Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas about the killer lions of Tsavo, and there were amazing scenes of Maasai where these kinds of spears were clearly seen. It seems that in authentic fashion, there were a mix of the older broad leaf blades along with newer narrow ones.

Gail had just decorated the Bookmobile with her 'Fall' decor, pending the Halloween and Thanksgiving stuff...........so she sees Maasai spears and shield amidst the theme......"OH, thats festive!!!" she exclaims.