Philippine Spear

ligpo2001 · 13th January 2007, 03:13 PM

I have 6 of these sort of spears, with various lengths:

Shafts from 140 to 177 cm
Heads from 20 to 30 cm

All the heads (tangs) fit into the shafts.

I also have 2 other similar spears (also from the Philippines). The heads of these however are those of spears (i.e. not harpoon like), detachable from the shafts, and connected by rope to the shafts.

If I were to assume that these are not harpoons, then the detachable feature of the heads make sense when hunting mammals in the forests. The speared animal will have difficulty escaping because the shaft will eventually get caught between bushes and trees while it flees. This is just my guess though.

Congoblades · 13th January 2007, 05:29 PM

I have this nice ngbandi/Bati (Yakomo) harpoonspear. This one was used for hunting big animals like hippo's. The shaft is 90 cm and the spearhead about 51 cm.
More "rough" pieces where made by the Poto.
I agree with Ligpo2001 about the use of the detachable heads, makes animals get caught between bushes and trees while it flees, the Poto spears have often long wooden floaters attached. (Westedijk)
Greets
Guy

VANDOO · 13th January 2007, 05:38 PM

I WOULD GUESS THAT THEY ARE HARPOONS ALSO, THE DETACHABLE HEAD USUALLY INDICATES IT WAS TO BE USED ON LARGE PREY. THE LINE BEING ATTACHED BETWEEN THE POINT AND SHAFT OR ATTACHED ONLY TO THE POINT WOULD INDICATE HUNTING MARINE PREY. THIS SYSTEM IS USED ON MODERN SPEAR GUNS, THE SPEAR PENETRATED DEEPLY AND WHEN THE FISH PULLS THE SHAFT COMES OFF AND OUT OF THE WOUND THE LINE FROM SHAFT TO POINT IS ATTACHED SO WHEN IT PULLS IT TURNS THE POINT CROSSWISE SO IT CANNOT BE PULLED OUT AS EASILY. IF THE SHAFT WERE LEFT ATTACHED IT WOULD WORK AGAINST THE WATER AND THE WOUND AND OPEN IT UP OFTEN CAUSING THE POINT TO BECOME DISLODGED AS WELL AS BENDING OR BREAKING THE SHAFT.
I HAVE SEEN SOUTH AMERICAN INDIAN ARROWS THAT HAVE A VERY LARGE SHAFT AND DETACHABLE POINT. WHEN THE ARROW STRIKES THE SHAFT COMES LOOSE AND FLOATS TO THE SURFACE THE LINE IS WRAPPED AROUND THE SHAFT AND UNWINDS THE HUNTER PADDLES OVER AND PICKS UP THE SHAFT AND GETS THE LINE AND PULLS IN THE CATCH. HARPOONS LIKE THE FIRST ONE COULD BE USED ON HIPPO, CROCODILES,DUGONG,PORPOSE,LARGE FISH ECT.

THE ONLY DETACHABLE POINTS I AM AWARE OF FOR HUNTING ABOVE WATER WERE DESIGNED TO STAY IN THE WOUND SO THE ANIMAL COULD NOT REMOVE THEM WITH THE SHAFT AND WERE OFTEN POISONED. HAVING A SHAFT ATTACHED TO A POINT AND CATCHING IT IN THE BRUSH WOULD GIVE THE PREY A BETTER CHANCE OF DISLOGING THE POINT INSTEAD OF CATCHING HIM , BUT IT MIGHT WORK ON SMALLER PREY OR WITH VERY GOOD BARBS.

13th January 2007, 03:13 PM	#1
ligpo2001 Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 16	More Info on item I have 6 of these sort of spears, with various lengths: Shafts from 140 to 177 cm Heads from 20 to 30 cm All the heads (tangs) fit into the shafts. I also have 2 other similar spears (also from the Philippines). The heads of these however are those of spears (i.e. not harpoon like), detachable from the shafts, and connected by rope to the shafts. If I were to assume that these are not harpoons, then the detachable feature of the heads make sense when hunting mammals in the forests. The speared animal will have difficulty escaping because the shaft will eventually get caught between bushes and trees while it flees. This is just my guess though.

13th January 2007, 05:29 PM	#2
Congoblades Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Belgium Posts: 171	I have this nice ngbandi/Bati (Yakomo) harpoonspear. This one was used for hunting big animals like hippo's. The shaft is 90 cm and the spearhead about 51 cm. More "rough" pieces where made by the Poto. I agree with Ligpo2001 about the use of the detachable heads, makes animals get caught between bushes and trees while it flees, the Poto spears have often long wooden floaters attached. (Westedijk) Greets Guy Attached Images

13th January 2007, 05:38 PM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I WOULD GUESS THAT THEY ARE HARPOONS ALSO, THE DETACHABLE HEAD USUALLY INDICATES IT WAS TO BE USED ON LARGE PREY. THE LINE BEING ATTACHED BETWEEN THE POINT AND SHAFT OR ATTACHED ONLY TO THE POINT WOULD INDICATE HUNTING MARINE PREY. THIS SYSTEM IS USED ON MODERN SPEAR GUNS, THE SPEAR PENETRATED DEEPLY AND WHEN THE FISH PULLS THE SHAFT COMES OFF AND OUT OF THE WOUND THE LINE FROM SHAFT TO POINT IS ATTACHED SO WHEN IT PULLS IT TURNS THE POINT CROSSWISE SO IT CANNOT BE PULLED OUT AS EASILY. IF THE SHAFT WERE LEFT ATTACHED IT WOULD WORK AGAINST THE WATER AND THE WOUND AND OPEN IT UP OFTEN CAUSING THE POINT TO BECOME DISLODGED AS WELL AS BENDING OR BREAKING THE SHAFT. I HAVE SEEN SOUTH AMERICAN INDIAN ARROWS THAT HAVE A VERY LARGE SHAFT AND DETACHABLE POINT. WHEN THE ARROW STRIKES THE SHAFT COMES LOOSE AND FLOATS TO THE SURFACE THE LINE IS WRAPPED AROUND THE SHAFT AND UNWINDS THE HUNTER PADDLES OVER AND PICKS UP THE SHAFT AND GETS THE LINE AND PULLS IN THE CATCH. HARPOONS LIKE THE FIRST ONE COULD BE USED ON HIPPO, CROCODILES,DUGONG,PORPOSE,LARGE FISH ECT. THE ONLY DETACHABLE POINTS I AM AWARE OF FOR HUNTING ABOVE WATER WERE DESIGNED TO STAY IN THE WOUND SO THE ANIMAL COULD NOT REMOVE THEM WITH THE SHAFT AND WERE OFTEN POISONED. HAVING A SHAFT ATTACHED TO A POINT AND CATCHING IT IN THE BRUSH WOULD GIVE THE PREY A BETTER CHANCE OF DISLOGING THE POINT INSTEAD OF CATCHING HIM , BUT IT MIGHT WORK ON SMALLER PREY OR WITH VERY GOOD BARBS. Last edited by VANDOO; 13th January 2007 at 06:04 PM.