Somalia,sword,shield,spear

[Tim Simmons]

I post these to continue the recent display of weapons from the horn of Africa.I am lucky enough to have a full set,the spear is 228cm long,the short sword 69cm,the shield 33cm dia.Tim

[Mark]

Great stuff, Tim. Is that a back spike at the pommel? It is all a very nice set.

[Tim Simmons]

Thank you Mark, these swords all have stangely thin handles.The pommel is a spike.

[Conogre]

How did these sneak by with so little fanfare?
That's a truly beautiful set, with each piece great on its own merit, but when together it just seems to add so much.
Those bilaou (sp?) swords seem to come in two distinct vatieties, one with the thin blade and hilt and the other fatter in both respects, which would seem to indicate to possibility of either two closely related tribal groups or else the before and after in a distinct change based upon tribal evolution.
I'm truly in a state of envy over these...very, very nice.
Mike

[tom hyle]

Seems like the wider ones are more curved/asymetric, and also have a trident type pommel, rather than a single spike? Also, that they are shorter?

[Tim Simmons]

Thanks kindly, all comes to he who waits, or something like that.Tim

[Aurangzeb]

Hi Tim!

Very nice set.Very nice condition.How old is it?(the sword)

[tom hyle]

That's aluminum on the hilt? The older ones I've seen have lead spacers and iron upper and lower guards.

[Tim Simmons]

Hello, the white metal is some kind of lead and tin mix, pewter in other words.On the back of the scabbard there is an faint ink insciption and the date 1896 but then anybody could have written that.The flash on the photo has a habit of making things look so clean.Tim

[Tim Simmons]

I thought I might include this one in the thread, it is very remenicient of Somali weapons but it is a very difficult area to be sure of anything,comments please.Tim

[tom hyle]

The work reminds me of c20th Syrian daggers, though I've not seen one quite like it.

[Conogre]

That's a beautiful knife Tim, and with that asymmetrical blade almost looks like it could just as easily be gile' that belonged to an obviously high ranking or status individual.
Sweet!!!
Mike

[Freddy]

This one just arrived yesterday. :)

I know, it's not very old, but I got a bit of history with it.

This knife was obtained in Somalia in 1992 by a belgian soldier during a humanitarian mission (about the time the events occured pictured in the film 'black hawk down').
They had to do reconnaissance flights over the North of Somalia upto Djibouti. It was a small military group with 5 helicopters and in all 30 men.
They were stationed on a peninsula and no civilians were allowed on the base. At the guard post, children came to sell or trade stuff. This knife was traded for a package of biscuits.

Total length of the knife is 29 cm. The blade is stilleto-shaped, with both edges sharpened. Part of it has a sawback edge. The blade is steel of some sort. The handle is partly made of plastic (?) and aluminium and very thin.
The sheath is made of leather and looks used.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding984.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding985.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding986.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding987.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding988.jpg

Any comments ?

[Tim Simmons]

Hello Freddy ,what a fascinating addition to an already fine collection,I find the traditional form mixed with the modern macho hunting type knife saw back, really interesting.I like the history and the materials used show that a countries fortunes are not allways on the up.Tim

[Conogre]

I fully concur....that's an awesome contemporary piece that, IMHO shows that the evolution of ethnographic pieces has by no means come to an end.
Large portions af Africa are still just a stone's (no pun intended) throw away from their roots and I suspect that remote regions of Indonesia and New Guinea will likewise prove to be the same.
The hilt is reminiscent of a Bilao piece, and likely shares that linneage, correct?
Great find!
Mike