African spear for ID

Martin Lubojacky · 31st December 2012, 03:36 PM

The spear was bought in Addis Ababa, but, acc. to the seller, it is comming from Sudan. I don´t know, if he is true or not. Nevertheless, based on this and also on the picture from and advanturous story (enclosed) I put it together with some other Sudanese items. But of course the arrangement on the wall could be pure fanthasy, since Sudanese mostly used big spears with hearth shaped wide spearheads... So please, if anybody has similar spear or saw it in the literature, give me advice.
The spear is, I would say, from heavier cathegory (not only the head but also the wooden poart), it is 240 cms long, from which 79 cms makes the spearhead. Max. width of spearhead is 3.5 cms (lentil cross-section), 7 cms in widened part. Brass strips are original.
Regards,
Martin

VANDOO · 31st December 2012, 03:52 PM

LOOKING GOOD!!

A NICE DISPLAY AND ITS COOL TO FIND A PICTURE SHOWING SOMETHING SIMULAR. WHAT ARE THE LITTLE BAGS HANGING ON THE SPEAR?

Iain · 31st December 2012, 04:05 PM

Hi Martin,

That's a fantastic spear! I never saw a similar one. Hopefully one of the experts like Wolf can comment.

I really like it though, because of the size and weight I guess it was intended for use from horseback?

Martin Lubojacky · 31st December 2012, 04:34 PM

Thanks.
This is something like small old bottles made of leather. The leather is very thin, but bottle side is hard, not elastic. It is also from Addis, but I do not kow what was it used for. Looks like snuff containers or maybe gun powder dossage (?) Very strange is that the "bottle" is not sewn together, it is made from one piece of very thin leather without any stitch

Martin Lubojacky · 31st December 2012, 04:39 PM

Hi Iain, I do not know, maybe from horseback.

Sajen · 31st December 2012, 04:49 PM

Beautiful display!

TribalBlades · 31st December 2012, 05:34 PM

that is a very impressive display. I just love it!

T. Koch · 31st December 2012, 07:29 PM

What a great and brutal looking spear! Thanks for posting, Martin!

I have a suggestion though, which may clarify the origin of the cool little, stitchless pouches. Maybe one should ask oneself, "Which part of the mammal body produces such pouch-like structures...?"

Hint: They're only found on around 50% of all individuals.

I also really like your wall display! Hope the spear belongs there, because it looks so good with your Sudanese stuff. I'm sure one of our sub-Saharan specialists will drop by and weigh in.

Enjoy and happy New Years, - Thor

asomotif · 1st January 2013, 12:51 PM

Wow !

I love those shields.
Indeed the ensemble makes a wondefull display.

Ths spear is also absolutely great.

Wodimi · 1st January 2013, 02:42 PM

Hello Martin,

first a Happy New Year to you and all other members.

May I ask you if the shaft on the other side is broken off.....on the wall picture it looks a little bit as iif it is broken?

Regarding the small containers. I found some in the Sahara and also in the Sudan. They all had a lid like a small tube, which close the opening. The newer ones had short black and white fur on it, on the older ones the hair is out and look like yours. Mine had been used by women for their eye gloss, a black powder.

Best
Wolf

Dom · 2nd January 2013, 01:14 AM

very nice display, I just like it as it' is

Happy New Year

à +

Dom

Martin Lubojacky · 2nd January 2013, 01:39 AM

Thanks for kind words.

The end of the shaft is like crumbled away (during my ownership it was not broken)
The small bottles are without hair, and also covers or plugs were missing. I bought them attached to the rope, this fastening looks original.

Best regards and all the best in the new year !

colin henshaw · 4th January 2013, 05:45 PM

I don't recognise this spear - but that type of strip brass, copper or iron wrap is usually to be found on spears and knives from Central Africa - Congo area...

Regards.

Wodimi · 5th January 2013, 01:31 PM

Martin, could it be that the iron pike is at least a massive spear shoe? Sure it's big, but I know other who are bigger. I also have two Tanzania spears with such round flatted ends, but much smaller.....only an idea.

Tim Simmons · 5th January 2013, 05:09 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, 01:49 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

31st December 2012, 03:36 PM	#1
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	African spear for ID The spear was bought in Addis Ababa, but, acc. to the seller, it is comming from Sudan. I don´t know, if he is true or not. Nevertheless, based on this and also on the picture from and advanturous story (enclosed) I put it together with some other Sudanese items. But of course the arrangement on the wall could be pure fanthasy, since Sudanese mostly used big spears with hearth shaped wide spearheads... So please, if anybody has similar spear or saw it in the literature, give me advice. The spear is, I would say, from heavier cathegory (not only the head but also the wooden poart), it is 240 cms long, from which 79 cms makes the spearhead. Max. width of spearhead is 3.5 cms (lentil cross-section), 7 cms in widened part. Brass strips are original. Regards, Martin Attached Images

5th January 2013, 01:31 PM	#14
Wodimi Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 75	Martin, could it be that the iron pike is at least a massive spear shoe? Sure it's big, but I know other who are bigger. I also have two Tanzania spears with such round flatted ends, but much smaller.....only an idea. Attached Images

5th January 2013, 05:09 PM	#15
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	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

31st December 2012, 03:52 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	LOOKING GOOD!! A NICE DISPLAY AND ITS COOL TO FIND A PICTURE SHOWING SOMETHING SIMULAR. WHAT ARE THE LITTLE BAGS HANGING ON THE SPEAR?

31st December 2012, 04:05 PM	#3
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,693	Hi Martin, That's a fantastic spear! I never saw a similar one. Hopefully one of the experts like Wolf can comment. I really like it though, because of the size and weight I guess it was intended for use from horseback?

31st December 2012, 04:34 PM	#4
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	Thanks. This is something like small old bottles made of leather. The leather is very thin, but bottle side is hard, not elastic. It is also from Addis, but I do not kow what was it used for. Looks like snuff containers or maybe gun powder dossage (?) Very strange is that the "bottle" is not sewn together, it is made from one piece of very thin leather without any stitch

31st December 2012, 04:39 PM	#5
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	Hi Iain, I do not know, maybe from horseback.

31st December 2012, 04:49 PM	#6
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,779	Beautiful display!

31st December 2012, 05:34 PM	#7
TribalBlades Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 33	that is a very impressive display. I just love it!

31st December 2012, 07:29 PM	#8
T. Koch Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Mother North Posts: 189	What a great and brutal looking spear! Thanks for posting, Martin! I have a suggestion though, which may clarify the origin of the cool little, stitchless pouches. Maybe one should ask oneself, "Which part of the mammal body produces such pouch-like structures...?" Hint: They're only found on around 50% of all individuals. I also really like your wall display! Hope the spear belongs there, because it looks so good with your Sudanese stuff. I'm sure one of our sub-Saharan specialists will drop by and weigh in. Enjoy and happy New Years, - Thor

1st January 2013, 12:51 PM	#9
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,225	Wow ! I love those shields. Indeed the ensemble makes a wondefull display. Ths spear is also absolutely great.

1st January 2013, 02:42 PM	#10
Wodimi Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 75	Hello Martin, first a Happy New Year to you and all other members. May I ask you if the shaft on the other side is broken off.....on the wall picture it looks a little bit as iif it is broken? Regarding the small containers. I found some in the Sahara and also in the Sudan. They all had a lid like a small tube, which close the opening. The newer ones had short black and white fur on it, on the older ones the hair is out and look like yours. Mine had been used by women for their eye gloss, a black powder. Best Wolf

2nd January 2013, 01:14 AM	#11
Dom Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Paris (FR*) Cairo (EG) Posts: 1,142	very nice display, I just like it as it' is Happy New Year à + Dom

2nd January 2013, 01:39 AM	#12
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	Thanks for kind words. The end of the shaft is like crumbled away (during my ownership it was not broken) The small bottles are without hair, and also covers or plugs were missing. I bought them attached to the rope, this fastening looks original. Best regards and all the best in the new year !

4th January 2013, 05:45 PM	#13
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	I don't recognise this spear - but that type of strip brass, copper or iron wrap is usually to be found on spears and knives from Central Africa - Congo area... Regards.

6th January 2013, 01:49 PM	#16
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	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