My latest spear.
 

A nice old long spear from region South Sudan and East of Central Africa. 2.20m long with a lovely patina to a sturdy haft. A mean sharp blade. I have not seen one with such a long socket section.

I have also post this fantastic 19th century photo of Zande from the Pitt Rivers. Labeled as a dance. I think this is a statement of white man scoffing at the warriors organisational ability. I think this is more a display of drill or unified maneuvers. All this would be part of intimidatory tactics and could be seen as a dance. The need to all move in one direction and then the next could be visually disturbing. The disciplined forming and moving of armies on the battle field was all part of the psychology of war. In armies of the the 19th century, East Africa. The use of flags was normal by East African warriors. Not how we tend to think. A jumble of half naked rabble hopping up and down is far from reality. Fighting with such long spears when formed into a phalanx could not have been that different from the 300 Spartans.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...appy/sp002.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...appy/sp004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...appy/dance.jpg

Tim

Nice find I need to find one of those now must keep up with the Jone's you know :D



Lew

Thanks Lew. I do not think the ban mentioned spears :D :D

Quiet! You don't want to give them any ideas now :eek: I just finished watching "V" (Venndetta) so this sword ban might just be the begining stages. ;) :( Where is Charlton Heston when you need him?

Lew

Hi Tim,
very nice spear.. :cool: ....and you're right African tribal warfare tended to be well organised....whether on the battlefield or using guerilla tactics.

Every time I see a pic like this I flash back on seeing "Zulu" on the big screen, the battle scenes with the warriors moving in perfect formation while drumming on their shields to keep step. I read some production notes on the making of that film, the Zulus had a blast, and actually had competitions to see who got to 'die' the most dramatically on screen.

It also cracked me up at a most unopportune moment some 20-odd years later when I realized the foley artists for a major motion picture had lifted the chants and shield drumming straight out of 'Zulu' for another big fight scene. Of course one did have to wonder at the sound of Zulu war cries echoing from a bunch of Roman-era Germanic tribesmen in the opening scenes of "Gladiator".... :D

I knew that seemed familiar... :cool: