New arrival for Christmas - Allarh

[CharlesS]

I like these too Iain. They may not be the most elegant spears, but they are so unique, made with a purpose and deadly efficient, and they do have a certain elegance of their own.

Your example is especially nicely decorated.

Congrats...nothing says Christmas like a stocking full of spears!!!

[Iain]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

I like these too Iain. They may not be the most elegant spears, but they are so unique, made with a purpose and deadly efficient, and they do have a certain elegance of their own.

Your example is especially nicely decorated.

Congrats...nothing says Christmas like a stocking full of spears!!!

Thanks Charles! I too enjoy the unique aspects of the form. Actually this one arrive bent from shipping, but thanks to a vice I managed to the same type of repair I figure was common in the field with these. They are such a dynamic thrusting weapon and those barbs.... not nice!

[A.alnakkas]

Interesting example. The brass decoration is similarly found on Arabian spears from the Nejd region. All Arabian spears look the same in a way, but only Nejd has inlay of brass on their spears and sometimes even gold.

Can you post multiple examples of such spears for comparison?

[Iain]

They are all pretty similar in the decorative style, bands of copper or brass inlaid into the shaft. Here's one from Wolf's excellent website.

http://www.africanarms.com/all-album...091-107058707/

[Iain]

This is a nice old colorized photo of some Hoggar Tuaregs showing the lances.

[Lee]

I especially like these lances. I thought I had photographed a number of variations and placed those images on the forum, but now, a focused Google search having failed to show them, I suspect that it was for a Timonium presentation. I will have to see if I can locate those files and include them here.

Back during the window of relatively safe travel in the region, I brought back examples in my baggage from each trip. The first trip was to Mali, and genuine examples were scarce with a 'suitcase friendly' degenerate version abundant in the market for tourists. In Niger, there were still plenty of genuine antique and working examples in the market.

I had an inquiry from a member that search functions had failed for him in this morning's e-mail. There were no changes here, but I do recommend Google as a great way to search the forums (syntax example: tuareg spear site:www.vikingsword.com). This prompted the following trip down memory lane:

Mali 1999

Niger 2000

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Lee

I especially like these lances. I thought I had photographed a number of variations and placed those images on the forum, but now, a focused Google search having failed to show them, I suspect that it was for a Timonium presentation. I will have to see if I can locate those files and include them here.

Back during the window of relatively safe travel in the region, I brought back examples in my baggage from each trip. The first trip was to Mali, and genuine examples were scarce with a 'suitcase friendly' degenerate version abundant in the market for tourists. In Niger, there were still plenty of genuine antique and working examples in the market.

I had an inquiry from a member that search functions had failed for him in this morning's e-mail. There were no changes here, but I do recommend Google as a great way to search the forums (syntax example: tuareg spear site:www.vikingsword.com). This prompted the following trip down memory lane:

Mali 1999

Niger 2000

I would love to see your presentation and images! There is not a lot of material out there on these lances beyond the basics. You've linked to some of the first threads I ever read about takouba on. Certain takes me back in time!

[A.alnakkas]

Originally Posted by Iain

This is a nice old colorized photo of some Hoggar Tuaregs showing the lances.

Judging from the length compared to a man, those spears seem short?

[Iain]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

Judging from the length compared to a man, those spears seem short?

Mine is 186cm, typically they are 180-210cm or even bigger. Also Tuaregs can be very tall!