3 Spears + 1 Spearhead for I.D. Please.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi Guys,
Picked up these spears and spearhead recently. I think I know what they are from scouring the Forum but would like the opinion of the more knowledgeable. I will post each separately in this thread but here is an overview plus the spearhead. All the items were in the same condition as the spearhead when I got them so please excuse the slight 'overcleaning' I didn't have much option as they needed rescuing from the dreaded 'brown stuff'.
Thanks for your interest.
Regards,
Norman.

[Norman McCormick]

No.1 Head and binding. Head 9 inches total length 49 inches, head has both concave and convex faces on both sides.

[Norman McCormick]

No.2 Head and Binding. Head 13 1/2 inches overall 52 1/2 inches.

[Norman McCormick]

No 3 Head and Binding. Head 13 1/2 inches overall 53 inches.

[Atlantia]

Nice, Zulu I'd say.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi Gene,
My thoughts too, I also think 19thC. Came from a country house up here, owners in the Victorian age were a Lt-Colonel 4th Hussars succeeded by a Captain 10th Hussars.
My Regards,
Norman.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
No. 1) Would appear to be an iKhebezane.

No. 2) Iklwa or unKhwa.

No. 3) Iklwa or unKhwa.


If anybody has got any other ideas, would like to confirm the above or has any idea of dating please let me know.
Regards,
Norman.

[colin henshaw]

Nice old spears, they could well be Zulu from the 19th century. However, it should be borne in mind that this type of spear was also used by other tribal groupings in the area, such as Swazi and Matabele...

Regards.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi Colin,
Many thanks for your insight. I take it there is no definitive aspect of spears from this region that would tie them directly to a specific group or is there an aspect that would make an item more likely to belong to one tribal group or another? The small country house estate that these came from was in the same family, I think from the 17thC, and was only sold recently. It is certainly more than likely both from personal inspection of the spears and the provenance that these are indeed 19thC objects. Thanks for your interest.
My Regards,
Norman,

[colin henshaw]

Hi Colin,
Many thanks for your insight. I take it there is no definitive aspect of spears from this region that would tie them directly to a specific group or is there an aspect that would make an item more likely to belong to one tribal group or another? The small country house estate that these came from was in the same family, I think from the 17thC, and was only sold recently. It is certainly more than likely both from personal inspection of the spears and the provenance that these are indeed 19thC objects. Thanks for your interest.
My Regards,
Norman,

Hi Norman

I don't know of any way to distinguish spears between those Nguni tribal groups in South East Africa, although I've read somewhere that spears with barbs are usually Basuto in origin ? The Matabele were in fact an offshoot of the Zulu that moved northwards. Spears from the Mashona are identifiable, however, often with a metal spike to the butt and sometimes a lot of wirework.

Regards
Colin

[Norman McCormick]

Hi Colin,
Many thanks for the extra info, much appreciated. :)
My Regards,
Norman.

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2807&highlight=iklwa A very informative and descriptive thread on the various types of Zulu spears.
Regards,
Norman

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
For information. 19thC Zulu? spearhead now with rust removed, blade section 12 1/4 inches, tang 5 1/2 inches.
Regards,
Norman.