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#1 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,200
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Greetings folks,
A friend took this picture in Ripley's Believe or Not Museum. It is attributed to the Zulu as the stabbing spear, assegai, that they used. However, I have seen assegai's used for stabbing and this is not it (if I am wrong, please correct me). To me the shape of the shaft is all wrong as well as the length and shape of the spear head. So what African tribe and what type of spear is it? Many thanks in advance. |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,776
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Not typically Zulu much further north , Shonaland and possibly even further north.
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,167
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everything is wrong, the short head, the long exposed & ring embellished tang, the lack of the zulu 'pinch at the head/tang transition, the (wrong) wood haft is not tapered from the tang joint to the hilt end, no flare. and the carving of the serpent is atypical. central africa ceremonial item, ie. 'fantasy' or for those who travel.
in the words of the immortal expert, mik 'crocodile' dundee, "that's not an iklwa, THIS is an iklwa!" |
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#4 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,893
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What is immortal Wayne, is your classic humor!!!
![]() You and Mel Brooks! Rock on!!! and thank you for the chuckles! |
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#5 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,200
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Kronckew thank you for the picture - this is the iklwa I was trying to describe to my friend.
Thank you everyone else. Not my area so I wanted to know where it came from. I will show this thread to my friend. |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,167
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lots of other info available on zulu arms and the zulu wars here on the forum (via search).
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#7 |
Vikingsword Staff
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,287
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So, in Ripley's Believe it or not museum I guess this must fall under the 'not' category.
I'm struck by the resemblance of this spearhead to a pair of shears. |
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#8 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,200
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Oh yeah. I've had to correct museums before.............
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