Strange spears from New Hebrides

colin henshaw · 29th December 2015, 03:54 PM

Here are images of two unusual and bizarre wooden spears (with some damages) I acquired a little while ago. They are apparently from New Hebrides (Vanuatu) and seem to be quite rare.

There is an illustration of one in the Oldman 1906 sale catalogue, described as a "Festival Spear" from Espiritu Santo and the points made from human bone. Has anyone more information of these items or comparable examples ? Maybe they were a way a warrior could display his success in combat, or perhaps the points would be poisoned and serve to intimidate opponents ??

Anyway, they are unusual spears and should be of interest to those who like primitive weapons from the Pacific...

VANDOO · 29th December 2015, 04:58 PM

I HAVE SEEN SUCH ITEMS BEFORE BUT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THEM. THEY LOOK LIKE SOMETHING DESIGNED TO INTIMIDATE AND WOUND RATHER THAN TO KILL OR INCAPACITATE AN OPPONENT. POISON COULD BE A FACTOR AS YOU MENTION AND WOULD MAKE THEM A DANGEROUS WEAPON. OR PERHAPS THEY WERE USED IN SOME RITUAL COMBAT OR INITIATION WHERE WOUNDS AND SPILLED BLOOD SHOWED BRAVERY AND GAINED HONOR FOR THE CONTESTANTS. THE USE OF HUMAN BONES, USUALLY OF ANCESTORS IS SOMETIMES PRACTICED IN THE REGION TO GAIN SPIRITUAL HELP AND PROTECTION. JUST CONJECTURE I WILL SEE IF I HAVE ANY PICTURES OR REFERENCES ON THESE INTERESTING SPEARS, THANKS FOR POSTING THEM.

LJ · 30th December 2015, 02:20 PM

I've checked Felix Speiser's book 'Ethnology of Vanuatu', and he gives a few paragraphs on these Santo weapons. He calls them javelins, because they were thrown. "The material for the bone spikes is supplied by human long bones, specifically those of relatives and men who held high rank in the suque. The mana of the dead man is thought to be transferred by the bones to the owner of the javelin ... Before discharging his weapon the thrower tried to impart to it a sideways oscillatory movement so that, vibrating in flight, it was capable of inflicting a lateral wound".

I have seen, and handled this type of giant bottlebrush, and they always reminded me of Corporal Jones's immortal words ... "they don't like it up 'em".

Tim Simmons · 30th December 2015, 07:32 PM

Great really nice to see. Beat me to it LJ.

Timo Nieminen · 30th December 2015, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LJ

I've checked Felix Speiser's book 'Ethnology of Vanuatu', and he gives a few paragraphs on these Santo weapons. He calls them javelins, because they were thrown. "The material for the bone spikes is supplied by human long bones, specifically those of relatives and men who held high rank in the suque. The mana of the dead man is thought to be transferred by the bones to the owner of the javelin ... Before discharging his weapon the thrower tried to impart to it a sideways oscillatory movement so that, vibrating in flight, it was capable of inflicting a lateral wound".

Are these for war, or for judicial spearings?

VANDOO · 31st December 2015, 04:33 PM

HERE ARE A FEW PICTURES OF THESE NEW HEBRIDES SPEARS I HAD AS WELL AS SOME SIMILAR TYPES FOR COMPARISON.
#1. NEW HEBRIDES SPEAR 246 CM. LONG WITH HUMAN BONE SPIKES
#2. SELECTION OF VARIOUS SPEARS , BISHOP MUSEUM HAWAII 1 NEW
HEBRIDES EXAMPLE.
#3. SELECTION OF SPEARS FROM THE REGION, ONE NEW HEBRIDES EXAMPLE.
#4. NEW HEBRIDES SPEAR
#5. FISH SPEAR NEW GUINEA AREA
#6. 310 CM. LONG SPEAR SOLOMON IS. WAR SPEAR WITH BONE SPIKES
#7. SPEAR POINT WITH STINGRAY SPINE POINTS.
#8. 21 INCH, STINGRAY SPEAR POINT CIRCA 1960, YIRRKALA,

UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T OWN THE SPEAR AND DON'T KNOW WHAT YIRRKALA MEANS PERHAPS THE LOCAL NAME FOR THAT TYPE OF SPEAR AND THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE.

Timo Nieminen · 3rd January 2016, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VANDOO

#8. 21 INCH, STINGRAY SPEAR POINT CIRCA 1960, YIRRKALA,

UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T OWN THE SPEAR AND DON'T KNOW WHAT YIRRKALA MEANS PERHAPS THE LOCAL NAME FOR THAT TYPE OF SPEAR AND THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE.

It's a northern Australian aboriginal community, in Arnhem Land: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yirrkala

Stingrays feature strongly in local cuisine, and their spines were traditionally used for spearheads (either singly, or multiple ones).

LJ · 31st December 2015, 06:50 PM

I don't think Speiser comments whether they are for war or judicial spearings, but his book is always well worth a good look. He spent two years in the field (1910-1912), so I like to think his information is sound. I think that Oldman might have got the idea of them being carried at festivals from a caption in Edge-Partington's "album" - but where did E-P get his information ?

Incidentally, a query about Vandoo's very nice spear with the coloured shaft and the stingray points in the end - is it from New Britain ?

colin henshaw · 2nd January 2016, 02:16 PM

Thanks to those who contributed on these spears, glad to see they are of interest.

There is another image of this type in the British Museum 1910 Ethnographical Handbook, but it gives no further information.

Browsing the internet, I found the following excerpt from a book by Ron S Filion "Eaten by Cannibals", which seemingly contains passages from the travel diaries of Count Rudolph Festetics de Tolna and his wife Eila Haggin, concerning their yacht cruise in Melanesia in the 1890s :-

"The spear is tipped with three points made of bone from the warrior's family and below that are other points stuck in diagonally made of bone from the bodies of enemies the warrior has killed, each point marking one dead foe. Thus on the same piece of wood some bones were set to be honoured and the others hated"

Sounds a bit exaggerated to me, but there we are...

Should anyone find further information on these spears, please do post it.

LJ · 3rd January 2016, 06:15 PM

I did think, after I'd posed the question, whether it was from Arnhem Land, but I really should have read Vandoo's post before asking !

VANDOO · 3rd January 2016, 06:25 PM

ITS NOT THAT YOU MISSED READING MY ANSWER THE FIRST TIME AS I USED EDIT TO ANSWER YOUR POST IN MY PREVIOUS POST. SO YOU ARE NOT LOSING IT

THE MAIN THING IS WE GOT A GOOD IDENTIFICATION ON THE SPEAR.

colin henshaw · 9th June 2016, 09:49 AM

Visited the wonderful Pitt-Rivers Museum the other day, and here is an image of the spear of this type they have on display ...

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 9th June 2016, 04:19 PM

I read of poisoned arrows (and assume the same for spears) being constructed with these barbs made of human bones...in

On Poisoned Arrows in Melanesia
By the Rev. R. H. Codrington, D.D.
From: The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland
Vol. XIX, pp. 215-219. 1890.

Quote"It is the human bone which in native opinion gives to the arrow its efficacy. The bone of any dead man will do, because any ghost will have power to work on the wounded man; but the bone of one who was powerful when alive is more valued."Unquote.

VANDOO · 9th June 2016, 08:07 PM

I SAW THESE TWO EXAMPLES RECENTLY. PICTURE #1. AUCKLAND MUSEUM
#2. CHRISTCHURCH MUSEUM.
#3. 53 INCH SPEAR

VANDOO · 23rd June 2016, 05:10 PM

ANOTHER GOOD PICTURE OF THIS TYPE OF SPEAR FOR THE REFERENCE UNFORTUNATELY NO INFORMATION TO GO WITH IT.

2nd January 2016, 02:16 PM	#9
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Thanks to those who contributed on these spears, glad to see they are of interest. There is another image of this type in the British Museum 1910 Ethnographical Handbook, but it gives no further information. Browsing the internet, I found the following excerpt from a book by Ron S Filion "Eaten by Cannibals", which seemingly contains passages from the travel diaries of Count Rudolph Festetics de Tolna and his wife Eila Haggin, concerning their yacht cruise in Melanesia in the 1890s :- "The spear is tipped with three points made of bone from the warrior's family and below that are other points stuck in diagonally made of bone from the bodies of enemies the warrior has killed, each point marking one dead foe. Thus on the same piece of wood some bones were set to be honoured and the others hated" Sounds a bit exaggerated to me, but there we are... Should anyone find further information on these spears, please do post it. Attached Images

9th June 2016, 09:49 AM	#12
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Visited the wonderful Pitt-Rivers Museum the other day, and here is an image of the spear of this type they have on display ... Attached Images

9th June 2016, 04:19 PM	#13
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	These bones, these bones, these dry bones!! I read of poisoned arrows (and assume the same for spears) being constructed with these barbs made of human bones...in On Poisoned Arrows in Melanesia By the Rev. R. H. Codrington, D.D. From: The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland Vol. XIX, pp. 215-219. 1890. Quote"It is the human bone which in native opinion gives to the arrow its efficacy. The bone of any dead man will do, because any ghost will have power to work on the wounded man; but the bone of one who was powerful when alive is more valued."Unquote.

9th June 2016, 08:07 PM	#14
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I SAW THESE TWO EXAMPLES RECENTLY. PICTURE #1. AUCKLAND MUSEUM #2. CHRISTCHURCH MUSEUM. #3. 53 INCH SPEAR Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 10th June 2016 at 01:07 AM.

23rd June 2016, 05:10 PM	#15
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	ANOTHER GOOD PICTURE OF THIS TYPE OF SPEAR FOR THE REFERENCE UNFORTUNATELY NO INFORMATION TO GO WITH IT. Attached Images

29th December 2015, 03:54 PM	#1
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Strange spears from New Hebrides Here are images of two unusual and bizarre wooden spears (with some damages) I acquired a little while ago. They are apparently from New Hebrides (Vanuatu) and seem to be quite rare. There is an illustration of one in the Oldman 1906 sale catalogue, described as a "Festival Spear" from Espiritu Santo and the points made from human bone. Has anyone more information of these items or comparable examples ? Maybe they were a way a warrior could display his success in combat, or perhaps the points would be poisoned and serve to intimidate opponents ?? Anyway, they are unusual spears and should be of interest to those who like primitive weapons from the Pacific... Attached Images

29th December 2015, 04:58 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAVE SEEN SUCH ITEMS BEFORE BUT KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THEM. THEY LOOK LIKE SOMETHING DESIGNED TO INTIMIDATE AND WOUND RATHER THAN TO KILL OR INCAPACITATE AN OPPONENT. POISON COULD BE A FACTOR AS YOU MENTION AND WOULD MAKE THEM A DANGEROUS WEAPON. OR PERHAPS THEY WERE USED IN SOME RITUAL COMBAT OR INITIATION WHERE WOUNDS AND SPILLED BLOOD SHOWED BRAVERY AND GAINED HONOR FOR THE CONTESTANTS. THE USE OF HUMAN BONES, USUALLY OF ANCESTORS IS SOMETIMES PRACTICED IN THE REGION TO GAIN SPIRITUAL HELP AND PROTECTION. JUST CONJECTURE I WILL SEE IF I HAVE ANY PICTURES OR REFERENCES ON THESE INTERESTING SPEARS, THANKS FOR POSTING THEM.

30th December 2015, 02:20 PM	#3
LJ Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 93	I've checked Felix Speiser's book 'Ethnology of Vanuatu', and he gives a few paragraphs on these Santo weapons. He calls them javelins, because they were thrown. "The material for the bone spikes is supplied by human long bones, specifically those of relatives and men who held high rank in the suque. The mana of the dead man is thought to be transferred by the bones to the owner of the javelin ... Before discharging his weapon the thrower tried to impart to it a sideways oscillatory movement so that, vibrating in flight, it was capable of inflicting a lateral wound". I have seen, and handled this type of giant bottlebrush, and they always reminded me of Corporal Jones's immortal words ... "they don't like it up 'em".

30th December 2015, 07:32 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Great really nice to see. Beat me to it LJ.

31st December 2015, 04:33 PM	#6
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	HERE ARE A FEW PICTURES OF THESE NEW HEBRIDES SPEARS I HAD AS WELL AS SOME SIMILAR TYPES FOR COMPARISON. #1. NEW HEBRIDES SPEAR 246 CM. LONG WITH HUMAN BONE SPIKES #2. SELECTION OF VARIOUS SPEARS , BISHOP MUSEUM HAWAII 1 NEW HEBRIDES EXAMPLE. #3. SELECTION OF SPEARS FROM THE REGION, ONE NEW HEBRIDES EXAMPLE. #4. NEW HEBRIDES SPEAR #5. FISH SPEAR NEW GUINEA AREA #6. 310 CM. LONG SPEAR SOLOMON IS. WAR SPEAR WITH BONE SPIKES #7. SPEAR POINT WITH STINGRAY SPINE POINTS. #8. 21 INCH, STINGRAY SPEAR POINT CIRCA 1960, YIRRKALA, UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T OWN THE SPEAR AND DON'T KNOW WHAT YIRRKALA MEANS PERHAPS THE LOCAL NAME FOR THAT TYPE OF SPEAR AND THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 31st December 2015 at 10:38 PM.

31st December 2015, 06:50 PM	#8
LJ Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 93	I don't think Speiser comments whether they are for war or judicial spearings, but his book is always well worth a good look. He spent two years in the field (1910-1912), so I like to think his information is sound. I think that Oldman might have got the idea of them being carried at festivals from a caption in Edge-Partington's "album" - but where did E-P get his information ? Incidentally, a query about Vandoo's very nice spear with the coloured shaft and the stingray points in the end - is it from New Britain ?

3rd January 2016, 06:15 PM	#10
LJ Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 93	I did think, after I'd posed the question, whether it was from Arnhem Land, but I really should have read Vandoo's post before asking !

3rd January 2016, 06:25 PM	#11
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	ITS NOT THAT YOU MISSED READING MY ANSWER THE FIRST TIME AS I USED EDIT TO ANSWER YOUR POST IN MY PREVIOUS POST. SO YOU ARE NOT LOSING IT THE MAIN THING IS WE GOT A GOOD IDENTIFICATION ON THE SPEAR.