African spear for ID

Tim Simmons · 5th January 2013, 04:09 PM

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?

Martin Lubojacky · 6th January 2013, 12:49 PM

The metal part is real blade. Copper work reminds Central Afrika, that´s 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 don´know. 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

5th January 2013, 04:09 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	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? Attached Images

6th January 2013, 12:49 PM	#2
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 843	The metal part is real blade. Copper work reminds Central Afrika, that´s 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 don´know. 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