Three African spears for ID

Gavin Nugent · 1st November 2018, 08:42 AM

Thanks for Iain for putting me on the scent that led here and thanks Colin for the extract reference... here is my personal favourite African spear at home, finally great to see it referenced... interesting that they use the word ancient in 1921... I wonder how old it is...

214.5cms tall, 100% complete, 42cms head, 65 including the socket.

Iain · 2nd November 2018, 01:39 PM

A near identical match to the Illorin example Gav. Impressive piece, the dimensions of the head are a little smaller than the two I owned that were similar, but not by much.

Edster · 3rd November 2018, 12:35 AM

Here is an interesting article from 1861 about the weapons "On the Arabs and Negro tribes of Central Africa" by John Petherick. Has some period sketches of spears and offers a context to the use of various weapons of that era. Some of his collection is shown on the Pit Rivers site.

If this link doesn't work check out him and the title on Google Books.

Better access. Vol. 4, p.171 of Royal United Services institute. 1861.
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?...iew=1up;seq=23

https://books.google.com/books?id=AE...Africa&f=false

Also, the Funj were the dominant kingdom from 1500 to 1821 from the Atbara River down the Nile tp well below the Blue Nile junction after the defeated the last Nubian Christian kingdom, Alodia, on the Nile. Alodia had its capital near Khartoum.

Check out "Abu El Kaylic, the Kingmaker of the Funj of Sennar", A. Robinson American Anthropologist, 1929, Vol. 31. No.2 p. 232-264. Good info on the Funj army of the time.

https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.w...1433/1929/31/2

Best regards,
Ed

Iain · 5th November 2018, 05:15 AM

I have yet to take proper pictures but members might enjoy a quick look at a monster example from northern Nigeria recently acquired. This was in a museum since 1913 and field collected between 1905 and that date. Shown with a takouba to give a sense of the scale, this one is 92cm overall and with shaft would have been around 3 meters overall, quite sharp still!

Gavin Nugent · 5th November 2018, 09:30 AM

That's an impressive example Iain!

Ed, you dig up some great references here and with the Sudan shield, great image from the French book.

TVV · 5th November 2018, 06:12 PM

I hope you would not mind if I add this Mossi(?) lance head to the thread. The tip, not counting the socket is 70 cm long (27.5 inches). It makes a decent size lance from Northern Cameroon look small. When I see these huge lance heads, I always think of Denham's drawing of a Bornu bodyguard.

Teodor

Iain · 5th November 2018, 06:36 PM

That's another monster Teodor! How long is that one? Also curious for the details of the attribution to the Mossi. I always found them a very interesting group often referenced but with very little to know information out there on how to distinguish their arms/armour.

Martin Lubojacky · 6th November 2018, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iain

I have yet to take proper pictures but members might enjoy a quick look at a monster example from northern Nigeria recently acquired. This was in a museum since 1913 and field collected between 1905 and that date. Shown with a takouba to give a sense of the scale, this one is 92cm overall and with shaft would have been around 3 meters overall, quite sharp still!

Hi Iain,
Finally possibility to assign this old sword (photos below), which is very similar to the sword which is on your photo together with the spearhead an takouba. - Do you, please, know the tribe ?
Best,
Martin

Iain · 6th November 2018, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Lubojacky

Hi Iain,
Finally possibility to assign this old sword (photos below), which is very similar to the sword which is on your photo together with the spearhead an takouba. - Do you, please, know the tribe ?
Best,
Martin

Hi Martin, I wish I could give you a better answer but I'm also not sure. My guess has always been Mundang or Wandala. I posted it before here http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17871

Martin Lubojacky · 6th November 2018, 11:21 AM

Thank you for reminder of this interesting previous thread. I nearly forgot....
The drawings of the swords are from
"Handbook of ethnic units in Nigeria" (Veroffentlichungen des Frobenius-Instituts an der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitat zu Frankfurt/Main)
or
"Die materielle Kultur der nicht-islamischen Ethnien von Nordkamerun und Nordostnigeria" (Studien zur Kulturkunde) (German Edition).

I think I could buy this book on Amazon.
Best
Martin

1st November 2018, 08:42 AM	#1
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	thanks Thanks for Iain for putting me on the scent that led here and thanks Colin for the extract reference... here is my personal favourite African spear at home, finally great to see it referenced... interesting that they use the word ancient in 1921... I wonder how old it is... 214.5cms tall, 100% complete, 42cms head, 65 including the socket. Attached Images

3rd November 2018, 12:35 AM	#3
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 411	Here is an interesting article from 1861 about the weapons "On the Arabs and Negro tribes of Central Africa" by John Petherick. Has some period sketches of spears and offers a context to the use of various weapons of that era. Some of his collection is shown on the Pit Rivers site. If this link doesn't work check out him and the title on Google Books. Better access. Vol. 4, p.171 of Royal United Services institute. 1861. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?...iew=1up;seq=23 https://books.google.com/books?id=AE...Africa&f=false Also, the Funj were the dominant kingdom from 1500 to 1821 from the Atbara River down the Nile tp well below the Blue Nile junction after the defeated the last Nubian Christian kingdom, Alodia, on the Nile. Alodia had its capital near Khartoum. Check out "Abu El Kaylic, the Kingmaker of the Funj of Sennar", A. Robinson American Anthropologist, 1929, Vol. 31. No.2 p. 232-264. Good info on the Funj army of the time. https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.w...1433/1929/31/2 Best regards, Ed Last edited by Edster; 3rd November 2018 at 12:57 AM.

5th November 2018, 05:15 AM	#4
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,708	I have yet to take proper pictures but members might enjoy a quick look at a monster example from northern Nigeria recently acquired. This was in a museum since 1913 and field collected between 1905 and that date. Shown with a takouba to give a sense of the scale, this one is 92cm overall and with shaft would have been around 3 meters overall, quite sharp still! Attached Images

5th November 2018, 06:12 PM	#6
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,660	I hope you would not mind if I add this Mossi(?) lance head to the thread. The tip, not counting the socket is 70 cm long (27.5 inches). It makes a decent size lance from Northern Cameroon look small. When I see these huge lance heads, I always think of Denham's drawing of a Bornu bodyguard. Teodor Attached Images

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2nd November 2018, 01:39 PM	#2
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,708	A near identical match to the Illorin example Gav. Impressive piece, the dimensions of the head are a little smaller than the two I owned that were similar, but not by much.

5th November 2018, 09:30 AM	#5
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	That's an impressive example Iain! Ed, you dig up some great references here and with the Sudan shield, great image from the French book.

5th November 2018, 06:36 PM	#7
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,708	That's another monster Teodor! How long is that one? Also curious for the details of the attribution to the Mossi. I always found them a very interesting group often referenced but with very little to know information out there on how to distinguish their arms/armour.

6th November 2018, 11:21 AM	#10
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 843	Thank you for reminder of this interesting previous thread. I nearly forgot.... The drawings of the swords are from "Handbook of ethnic units in Nigeria" (Veroffentlichungen des Frobenius-Instituts an der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitat zu Frankfurt/Main) or "Die materielle Kultur der nicht-islamischen Ethnien von Nordkamerun und Nordostnigeria" (Studien zur Kulturkunde) (German Edition). I think I could buy this book on Amazon. Best Martin