Interesting Saharan/Bornu spear.

Freddy · 19th November 2006, 05:32 PM

Nice spear, Tim.

I believe the Tuareg spears were made from one piece of metal. The construction on this one looks a bit like we see with Masai spears : two long pieces of iron and a small wooden shaft.

I especially like the 'copper touch'.

In Christopher Spring's book, African Arms and Armour, there are pictures of Tuareg spears on pages 28 an 29. These seem to be somewhat longer than yours (upto 207 cm).
In the same book, colourplate 7 shows some men of the Bororo tribe (Fulani) of northern Nigeria and southern Niger with Tuareg style weaponry, such as the sword (Takouba) and spear (Allarh). Their spears seem to be much shorter. Perhaps that's a clue as to where your spear comes from.

Tim Simmons · 19th November 2006, 06:27 PM

Freddy I have looked at those pictures, I think they help a little, even if the Fulani chaps have modern versions. The Sahel is a massive strip across the African continent. At one time purloined by the French and British. I would think this spear is from the British controlled regions which would suggest a Fulani origin. I do not think these are Hausa pieces. There again things were traded so they could well have been used by the Tuareg but I do not think they are of western Tuareg origin. Now where is that Manding knife?????

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19th November 2006, 05:32 PM	#1
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Nice spear, Tim. I believe the Tuareg spears were made from one piece of metal. The construction on this one looks a bit like we see with Masai spears : two long pieces of iron and a small wooden shaft. I especially like the 'copper touch'. In Christopher Spring's book, African Arms and Armour, there are pictures of Tuareg spears on pages 28 an 29. These seem to be somewhat longer than yours (upto 207 cm). In the same book, colourplate 7 shows some men of the Bororo tribe (Fulani) of northern Nigeria and southern Niger with Tuareg style weaponry, such as the sword (Takouba) and spear (Allarh). Their spears seem to be much shorter. Perhaps that's a clue as to where your spear comes from.

19th November 2006, 06:27 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,844	Freddy I have looked at those pictures, I think they help a little, even if the Fulani chaps have modern versions. The Sahel is a massive strip across the African continent. At one time purloined by the French and British. I would think this spear is from the British controlled regions which would suggest a Fulani origin. I do not think these are Hausa pieces. There again things were traded so they could well have been used by the Tuareg but I do not think they are of western Tuareg origin. Now where is that Manding knife?????