Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

kronckew · 11th March 2018, 06:54 PM

Looks appropriate for the Zulu throwing spear, Shaka stopped the use of throwing spears as their primary weapon, but they, like the romans, used them to soften up the enemy just before contact, when they used their ikl'wa (stabbing spears) or iwisa (knobkerry clubs). the throwing spears had shorter blades, longer tangs, and longer thinner shafts, but invariably had the pinch notches at the blade/tang junction. bindings were wire or fibre, or leather thongs, or de-gloved cattle/goat tail skin which was applied wet & shrank tight. Being the top dogs in the area, the subordinate conquered tribes from a wide area, like the shona, supplied their tools and weapons as tribute, so there is some variances. (age is really hard to tell)

p.s.- they NEVER used socketed spear heads.

My best ikl'wa for comparison:

11th March 2018, 06:54 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,150	Looks appropriate for the Zulu throwing spear, Shaka stopped the use of throwing spears as their primary weapon, but they, like the romans, used them to soften up the enemy just before contact, when they used their ikl'wa (stabbing spears) or iwisa (knobkerry clubs). the throwing spears had shorter blades, longer tangs, and longer thinner shafts, but invariably had the pinch notches at the blade/tang junction. bindings were wire or fibre, or leather thongs, or de-gloved cattle/goat tail skin which was applied wet & shrank tight. Being the top dogs in the area, the subordinate conquered tribes from a wide area, like the shona, supplied their tools and weapons as tribute, so there is some variances. (age is really hard to tell) p.s.- they NEVER used socketed spear heads. My best ikl'wa for comparison: Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 11th March 2018 at 09:06 PM.