Somalia club

LJ · 13th April 2014, 06:52 PM

It took me an age to work out where this club came from. The band of 'Celtic-knot' engraving suggested a shillelagh, but the shape said no. I looked for similar examples from South America and Southeast Asia. Finally, I had a good look for old inscriptions. The letters B.E.A. are written very faintly on the flat top. So ... British East Africa. Then to the British Museum online collections database, where there are several from Somalia illustrated; some with spear blades fitted into the head-end.

But, is there much known about them? Were they made and used only in a small area of Somalia ? Am I the only person wholly ignorant about Somalian throwing clubs ?

colin henshaw · 15th April 2014, 09:20 AM

A nice old club from Somalia, with the typical interlace pattern found on objects from that area. Congratulations.

13th April 2014, 06:52 PM	#1
LJ Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 93	Somalia club It took me an age to work out where this club came from. The band of 'Celtic-knot' engraving suggested a shillelagh, but the shape said no. I looked for similar examples from South America and Southeast Asia. Finally, I had a good look for old inscriptions. The letters B.E.A. are written very faintly on the flat top. So ... British East Africa. Then to the British Museum online collections database, where there are several from Somalia illustrated; some with spear blades fitted into the head-end. But, is there much known about them? Were they made and used only in a small area of Somalia ? Am I the only person wholly ignorant about Somalian throwing clubs ? Attached Images

15th April 2014, 09:20 AM	#2
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	A nice old club from Somalia, with the typical interlace pattern found on objects from that area. Congratulations.