Three African spears for ID

[Richard G]

Christopher Spring's, "African Arms and Armour" page 38 has a picture of a lancer of the Sultan of Bagirmi with a double headed lance very similar to No.2.
Regards
Richard

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Richard G

Christopher Spring's, "African Arms and Armour" page 38 has a picture of a lancer of the Sultan of Bagirmi with a double headed lance very similar to No.2.
Regards
Richard

Hi Richard,

I believe the illustration you mention is the taken from Denham, from memory Nachtigal reproduced it as well.

I'd had some hopes this spear would be from that region - but sadly, once it was in hand it became fairly obvious it wasn't. The scale of the heads is not correct and the construction and details like the shape of the shaft are not correct for the Bagirmi region. Certainly an interesting style and I still hope someday to acquire an example.

[zalmoxis]

Hi there are some books:
"Mande blacksmiths" (book) deals with some info about West Africa. A lot of west African spears are in "Armes Blanches De L'Afrique Noire". A similar double headed spear as your Ethiopian spear is depicted in " Spears and staffs with two or more points in Africa".
Actually Madagascar spears are easy to spot: the head and the end varies in length and even shape but they are the only spears the the shaft is carved to fit the head flush and not just inserted into it after making a pointy end on a stick. Most of the time the carving of the shaft is so good that wood also fits the space left from forging in the socket making it flush with that too. No other African spears to my knowledge are fitted like that. Most of the time the socket on both the head and end will have 2 or 3 brass inlay rings like yours. Your Madagascar spear has the head fitted perfectly if you look at it also the silver ring is aligned with the shaft and socket by means of carving. The end looks inserted which might mean that the spear might have been shortened and repaired quickly not allowing time for proper fitting.

[zalmoxis]

The photo of the spear from Madagascar has a larger head and this is typical for later examples, this one is from around 1940, spears were more prestige objects by then. The older one like yours tend to have a more javelin smaller head more appropriate for use. But still has the brass rings.
In the case of "Mossi" spear a more appropriate term would be West African.
The metal work on a HUGE space there that covers many countries was directly made or influence by Mande blacksmits. You will find similar file work and chiseling on spears from Mali/Dogon to Mossi/Burkina Faso and Hausa/Nigeria etc.
Your spears are probably 19th century or early 20th.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by zalmoxis

The photo of the spear from Madagascar has a larger head and this is typical for later examples, this one is from around 1940, spears were more prestige objects by then. The older one like yours tend to have a more javelin smaller head more appropriate for use. But still has the brass rings.
In the case of "Mossi" spear a more appropriate term would be West African.
The metal work on a HUGE space there that covers many countries was directly made or influence by Mande blacksmits. You will find similar file work and chiseling on spears from Mali/Dogon to Mossi/Burkina Faso and Hausa/Nigeria etc.
Your spears are probably 19th century or early 20th.

Thanks for all the info and images. The Ethiopian illustration provides an exact match - very nice to have.

I'm familiar with some Hausa and Fulani spears (more than familiar with the rest of their arsenals), but that's mainly been the larger cavalry lances so far. Rather than the smaller, more utilitarian spears. Point on Dogon work well taken, I remember some similar items now.

On the Madgascar one, very good points. Actually the friend who pointed me in the right direction on it, first thing he asked to see was the fit of the shaft into the head and shoe.

I'm going to try and pick up a copy of Armes Blanches De L'afrique Noire, looks very useful!

Cheers,

Iain

[zalmoxis]

The book is not great "Armes blanche". There is no good info in it just pictures and no location or tribe well defined.
The picture with the Madagascar is from old postcard...well not so old around 1940 as I said. The other is form "Spears and stuffs...."
There is no one book good about African spears except for the ones from Congo.
Just little info here and there.
I like your spears they have character...

[Gavin Nugent]

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.

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by zalmoxis

Hi there are some books:
"Mande blacksmiths" (book) deals with some info about West Africa. A lot of west African spears are in "Armes Blanches De L'Afrique Noire". A similar double headed spear as your Ethiopian spear is depicted in " Spears and staffs with two or more points in Africa".
Actually Madagascar spears are easy to spot: the head and the end varies in length and even shape but they are the only spears the the shaft is carved to fit the head flush and not just inserted into it after making a pointy end on a stick. Most of the time the carving of the shaft is so good that wood also fits the space left from forging in the socket making it flush with that too. No other African spears to my knowledge are fitted like that. Most of the time the socket on both the head and end will have 2 or 3 brass inlay rings like yours. Your Madagascar spear has the head fitted perfectly if you look at it also the silver ring is aligned with the shaft and socket by means of carving. The end looks inserted which might mean that the spear might have been shortened and repaired quickly not allowing time for proper fitting.

Just reading through this thread again a bit more carefully and saw this post by Zalmoxis. Its not quite correct ... the African spears in question from Northern Nigeria/Bornu also have the wood shaft well carved to flush fit the socket and have brass and copper bands inlaid to the metal. The workmanship to these spears is pretty high.