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#1 |
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Location: On the banks of Cut Bank Creek, Montana
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Eileen Jensen Krige The Social System of the Zulu list 15 different patterns and 20 different names for Zulu spears or Assegais used by Zulu’s. Ms. Krige list includes footnotes identifying her source. Krige also refers to all spears as Assegai. The following is from her book.
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#2 |
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Iklwa or unKhwa
![]() Blade is 16.5 inches long and 1 7/8 inches wide. Over all length is 47 inches. ![]() |
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#3 |
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isiJula
![]() Blade is 7 inches long by 1 1/8 inches wide with 5 inch shank. Overall length 62 1/2 inches ![]() |
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#4 |
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Krige gives this definition:
iKhebezane: Assegai with long broad blade with grooves, not common in Zululand. Bryant, Zulu-English Dictionary. Colenso and Calloway say that it is a light spear which Colenso states is used by the amaPhondo. A.T. Bryant in The Zulu People gives this additional information. "In the iKebezane assegai (confined to Swazis, Natal Natives and Mpondos) one half of the blade, back and front , but on opposite sides was grooved concavely." Blade is 6 1/2 inches long by 1 ince wide with 2 inch shaft. Overall length 56 inches. ![]() The haft is very light being about the diameter of a pencil for most it's length. ![]() ![]() |
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#5 |
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Assegai terminology:
From. A.T. Bryant, The Zulu people, as they were before the White Man came |
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#6 |
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Interesting. I appear to have an old inHlendhla, iZakha. Thanks.
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#7 |
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Approximately 140cm long. Blade 10.5cm, iron shank 25cm. UkuCiba inHlendhla iZakha.
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#8 | |
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Bryant in The Zulu People has a wonderful description of the inHlendhla or iZakha, or as he refers to it inTlendla.
Quote:
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#9 |
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Oh you are a lovely man
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#10 |
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This picture was very kindly brought to my attention by Douglas. The Zulu dignitary is carrying the same spear. How nice, to find it is rather special
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#11 |
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And the next step...
In another thread I mentioned on a spear buying trip, my wife took it upon herself to liquidate my on hand cash and buy some knobkerries. Here is one she bought. It is 38 inches long' ![]() Do you see it in the picture? It's not a knobkerrie at all. It is the stick for a shield. If this stick is for a shield it may be for a iHubelo or hunting shield or an umBumbuluso or Cetshwayo War shield. |
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#12 |
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isiKwata
![]() 59 inches long (149.5 cm) overall. Blade 8 inches (20 cm) long by 1 3/4 inches (4.5 cm) wide. Exposed shaft 5 inches (12.5 cm) Heavy haft with hair covered leather binding. ![]() Straight butt. ![]() I am not comfortable with the description of of this spear as isKwata but it's the best I can come up with. If someone has a better idea I am listening. Last edited by The Double D; 16th December 2006 at 06:16 PM. |
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#13 |
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iKhebezane: Assegai with long broad blade with grooves, not common in Zululand. Bryant, Zulu-English Dictionary. Colenso and Calloway say that it is a light spear which Colenso states is used by the amaPhondo.
A.T. Bryant in The Zulu People gives this additional information. "In the iKebezane assegai (confined to Swazis, Natal Natives and Mpondos) one half of the blade, back and front , but on opposite sides was grooved concavely. I used this description to describe the small spear up thread. This week I got this spear. ![]() This spear is 45 inches long (114.5 cm ). Blade is 16 inches long by 2 inches wide (40 cm x 5 cm). No exposed shaft, concave blade and no swollen butt. ![]() I think this new spear more correctly fits the description of iKhebezane than the ligther one. Both spears were made using the same manufacturing techniques. The new spear is also very definitely a stabbing spear. |
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#14 |
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inGcula
![]() Overall length 53 inches (135 cm). Blade 4 1/2 inches by 7/8 inches (11 cm x 2.2 cm) Shank 7 1/2 inches (190 cm) Flared butt. ![]() ![]() |
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#15 |
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These are rather nice. I like the iKhebezane a good find. I wonder if this blade is obtained through trade or is it made by Zulu smiths? Very interesting i would not of thought this was from so far south. I would have said Mashona land or further north. You are getting a nice colletion going.
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#16 |
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A.T. Bryant credits the iKebezane assegai to Swazis, Natal Natives and Mpondos. All Nguni's as well as the Zulu's if I under stand the anthropolgy right. All those tribes surround Zululand.
By trade, by conquest, to the victor go the spoils. Food, cattle, weapons and women. I will be spending Christmas at Isandlwana Lodge and they have arrange for me to visit a blacksmith. I hope he can shed some light on this. |
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#17 |
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As Southern African is at the top again I just have to add this. I got it today at one of those military junk fairs, I really should not have spent any money at all!!!
![]() Douglas does that book with all the spear info mention anything about sticks and staffs? |
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#18 |
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Nice stick Tim is it a real club or some form of status ?
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#19 |
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I'll start another topic with Zulu sticks and the descriptions from Krige. Then we can keep this topic assegais and have a separate for knobkerries. Got a couple of new ones to show you.
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#20 |
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Thank you ggoudie, It must be a prestige item as it is far too light to be a weapon of war. It may also be more of an East African item. This picture from Men-at-Arms series "Warrior Peoples of East Africa 1840-1900" shows an early Turkana warrior in 1888. The stick here has strong similarities and searching knobkerries, I have found nothing as distinct as this but many beautiful Southern clubs of varied form. So I think it safe to assume Turkana, which I like all the more for the money I should have kept safe from the demon inside.
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