Three Spear Heads

[Timo Nieminen]

The long slender one looks like an East African spear butt (as used by the Maasai and nearby peoples). For some examples of such butts, see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21630 and http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3840

I wonder if the spade-shaped one is also a butt. Veleanu's book has mis-identifications aplenty. In particular, the double-page spread that supposedly-Khmer spade-shaped appears on also has 4 late Qing spears described as 12th-14th century Cambodian spears, so I don't have much confidence in the spade-shaped one being Cambodian.

As for the last one, the one that is definitely a spearhead, it could well be from Assam. Spearheads of similar profile are made in the Congo basin, but the transition between head and socket is different. I've not had a close look at an Assamese spear, but I think it's more likely than Congo.

[RAMBA]

Originally Posted by Timo Nieminen

The long slender one looks like an East African spear butt (as used by the Maasai and nearby peoples). For some examples of such butts, see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21630 and http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3840

I wonder if the spade-shaped one is also a butt. Veleanu's book has mis-identifications aplenty. In particular, the double-page spread that supposedly-Khmer spade-shaped appears on also has 4 late Qing spears described as 12th-14th century Cambodian spears, so I don't have much confidence in the spade-shaped one being Cambodian.

As for the last one, the one that is definitely a spearhead, it could well be from Assam. Spearheads of similar profile are made in the Congo basin, but the transition between head and socket is different. I've not had a close look at an Assamese spear, but I think it's more likely than Congo.

Hi Timo

Thanks for the reply and I had considered a spear butt for the spade shaped one and yes that book has lots of errors. Not so much the long square one but can see your point with the East African spears. I think the one last one is most likely Assam.

[RAMBA]

I found some photos of a lot of spears which I think are African. Well the Iron piece is a spear butt. Not Cambodian. It is identical and on the base of the circled spear. I think the other long thin one is a spear butt too.