Mahdi Spear Head?

FenrisWolf · 17th March 2007, 05:51 PM

Here are the other three spear heads that came in the same batch:

Given the size of the army that was fielded by the Mahdi at Omduran, it's likely he had troops from all over the Sudan/North Africa, not to mention the logistics of trying to keep them all armed and ready for battle. I can't imagine a warrior about to go into battle is going to be too fussed over what part of the Sudan his spear came from, so long as it has a pointy end to stick into his opponent.

Jim McDougall · 17th March 2007, 08:04 PM

These are outstanding acquisitions Fenris! and they are indeed Mahdist associated spears, as has been mentioned. You are right that the Mahdist forces were highly comprehensive, with members from many regions that included the south, west and Nuba mountains. Interestingly many of the Sudanese spears had shafts of bamboo which came from the Nuba Mountains.
The battalion sized units that comprised these components of the vast forces were termed 'rubs'. The warriors among these forces were referred by the Mahdi as 'Ansar' (= helper, as described in Koran as disciples of the Prophet), while the British applied the term 'Dervish' taken from religious mystics they had encountered in the Levant.

In the exhibition of Sudanese material in Austria in Nov,2001- Oct 2002 (Lenz & Schallaburg) Tim Kendall described some of these barbed spears as having a variety of points or viscious flesh tearing barbs or a combination of the two and that these were designed to be hurled at close range.

Many of the longer stabbing spears had very wide leaf shaped points, which also caused horrific wounds. There are also extremely large points which are actually excessive for actual stabbing, which are typically highly decorated with inscriptions and motif and are termed 'alem' .These I am told were actually used as standards to rally forces during battle, as they were so large as to be seen when held up as focal point.

Very nice spears you got, but I'd hate to be on the wrong end of one of 'em

All the best,
Jim

Tim Simmons · 17th March 2007, 08:12 PM

They don't like it up em! as Corporal Jones would say. Cpl Jone a character in a long running UK TV program called "dads army" about the Home Guard during ww2. Cpl Jones was a veteran from the Sudan wars. He meant the bayonet.

Pukka Bundook · 18th March 2007, 04:20 AM

Tim,
I've lived in Canada 23 yrs now, but Still remember Corporal Jones very well!........And I suppose they Still "don't like it up 'em!"

FenrisWolf · 18th March 2007, 06:32 AM

Forgot about this one; it came into my hands separately. My father picked it up for me at a little antique shop in Northern California, where it was labelled a 'salmon fishing spear'. I didn't know they had salmon runs in the Sudan!?!

8 1/2" long with an almost black patina, and the little barbs are damned near as sharp as the day they were forged. Shaft is a replacement piece of bamboo I happened to have lying around, good to hear it's appropriate to the piece....

17th March 2007, 05:51 PM	#1
FenrisWolf Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 181	Here are the other three spear heads that came in the same batch: Given the size of the army that was fielded by the Mahdi at Omduran, it's likely he had troops from all over the Sudan/North Africa, not to mention the logistics of trying to keep them all armed and ready for battle. I can't imagine a warrior about to go into battle is going to be too fussed over what part of the Sudan his spear came from, so long as it has a pointy end to stick into his opponent.

17th March 2007, 08:04 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,190	These are outstanding acquisitions Fenris! and they are indeed Mahdist associated spears, as has been mentioned. You are right that the Mahdist forces were highly comprehensive, with members from many regions that included the south, west and Nuba mountains. Interestingly many of the Sudanese spears had shafts of bamboo which came from the Nuba Mountains. The battalion sized units that comprised these components of the vast forces were termed 'rubs'. The warriors among these forces were referred by the Mahdi as 'Ansar' (= helper, as described in Koran as disciples of the Prophet), while the British applied the term 'Dervish' taken from religious mystics they had encountered in the Levant. In the exhibition of Sudanese material in Austria in Nov,2001- Oct 2002 (Lenz & Schallaburg) Tim Kendall described some of these barbed spears as having a variety of points or viscious flesh tearing barbs or a combination of the two and that these were designed to be hurled at close range. Many of the longer stabbing spears had very wide leaf shaped points, which also caused horrific wounds. There are also extremely large points which are actually excessive for actual stabbing, which are typically highly decorated with inscriptions and motif and are termed 'alem' .These I am told were actually used as standards to rally forces during battle, as they were so large as to be seen when held up as focal point. Very nice spears you got, but I'd hate to be on the wrong end of one of 'em All the best, Jim

17th March 2007, 08:12 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	They don't like it up em! as Corporal Jones would say. Cpl Jone a character in a long running UK TV program called "dads army" about the Home Guard during ww2. Cpl Jones was a veteran from the Sudan wars. He meant the bayonet.

18th March 2007, 04:20 AM	#4
Pukka Bundook Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 803	Tim, I've lived in Canada 23 yrs now, but Still remember Corporal Jones very well!........And I suppose they Still "don't like it up 'em!"

18th March 2007, 06:32 AM	#5
FenrisWolf Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 181	Forgot about this one; it came into my hands separately. My father picked it up for me at a little antique shop in Northern California, where it was labelled a 'salmon fishing spear'. I didn't know they had salmon runs in the Sudan!?! 8 1/2" long with an almost black patina, and the little barbs are damned near as sharp as the day they were forged. Shaft is a replacement piece of bamboo I happened to have lying around, good to hear it's appropriate to the piece....