View Single Post
Old 28th April 2009, 08:14 AM   #15
Jake
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 13
Default

Mr.McDougall,i cannot agree more-the connection between the metalworking(but iron and steel forging especially)and spirituality is,arguably,THE most facsinating aspect.Very involved and complex,in probably all cultures everywhere.And little wonder.Like you mention,the very circumstances of ironwork-the darkness necessary to judge the temperature,the sulfurous fumes(fire and brimstone),the fire,and the sheer intensity of the process.And the fruit,most often-the very subject of study of this forum-the most powerful catalyst of human interaction,to this day-a weapon...
Even among the fellow fire-trades(ceramics,glass-blowing),steel is very separate:No other material undergoes the phase changes that are so profound.Much of what the science explains to us nowadays was not lost on the ancients.The fact that virtually all of the Mesopotamian languages referred to iron as "heavenly" or "stellar" metal refers not only,even,to their access to it mostly through the meteoritic material,or so it seems.The first of the elements,this, number 26,that cannot simply be compressed out of H,but must be inside an imploding star to become so dense...
Thanks so much for all the book references,i'll truly become a nuisance to our librarian now,with all these ILL requests.
Fearn,you're quite correct,as far as i know,on all counts.Most hunting of large critters with a spear involves a toggle,lugs/wings,or the like.Around here(the forested interior of Alaska),the toggle was lashed on to the shaft with rawhide(it was very interesting to note the similarity with German boar spears,elsewhere on the forum).In some cases,like the den hunt,where the animal is provoked into an attack,the toggle serves as a fulcrum,around which the animal rotates in it's motion,the point of the lance describing an arc in it's chest(hopefully)severing the aorta.The placing distance of the toggle from the point is critical.
Many peoples in Siberia,Chukchi,Koryak,Evenk,many others,used a great number of different styles of spear.Sometimes some carried a very large one called(in Russian,but from some other language,not sure which),"pal'ma".It was used like an all-around camp tool,even for the trail hacking,it was heavy and sharp both.
Unfortunately i lack either the accurate description of one,or any images.However,I just had a chance to forge something of the sort,i'll post a photo although it's not quite done.Living here gives me a chance for an occasional commission such as this,for which i'm grateful.It's 19" overall.
All the best,Jake.
Attached Images
 
Jake is offline   Reply With Quote