Seven spears from same origin?

kronckew · 24th September 2007, 06:04 AM

there was an earlier post here on a similar barbed spear, i recall, where we discussed it's possible mahdi-ist origins, i remember posting a reference to a article, written by winston churchill - who was at the battle of omdurman as a cavalryman - with reference to the 'fishhook spears' - and another about medical treatment after the battle and how the doctors had difficulty removing the spears from wounded soldiers because of the wicked barbs on them.....

Jim McDougall · 1st October 2007, 05:32 AM

Kronckew,
I'd sure like to find that reference!!! Anybody out there know where we might locate this?

kronckew · 1st October 2007, 07:00 AM

the reference to 'fishhook spears' stuck in the bodies of returning wounded is of course in winston's article referenced above, i'm having fun re-finding the medical reference, but here are a few more:

http://www.michaelstevenson.com/africanart/essay.htm

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstrac...649D94699ED7CF

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~th...ancers1898.htm

one there makes reference to long leaf shaped blades and barbed, fishing spears being collected to arm the mahdi's sudanese...interesting.

another of them while written supposedly about the gulf war, is mostly about african weapons as 19c. war trophies brought back by soldiers and the lucrative trading in them there which sparked a local market, so many of them we find in estates in the UK may have been made 'after'. sobering thought.

Jim McDougall · 1st October 2007, 07:25 AM

Excellent!! Thank you very much Kronckew!!
Jim

24th September 2007, 06:04 AM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,228	there was an earlier post here on a similar barbed spear, i recall, where we discussed it's possible mahdi-ist origins, i remember posting a reference to a article, written by winston churchill - who was at the battle of omdurman as a cavalryman - with reference to the 'fishhook spears' - and another about medical treatment after the battle and how the doctors had difficulty removing the spears from wounded soldiers because of the wicked barbs on them..... Last edited by kronckew; 24th September 2007 at 06:17 AM.

1st October 2007, 07:00 AM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,228	the reference to 'fishhook spears' stuck in the bodies of returning wounded is of course in winston's article referenced above, i'm having fun re-finding the medical reference, but here are a few more: http://www.michaelstevenson.com/africanart/essay.htm http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstrac...649D94699ED7CF http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~th...ancers1898.htm one there makes reference to long leaf shaped blades and barbed, fishing spears being collected to arm the mahdi's sudanese...interesting. another of them while written supposedly about the gulf war, is mostly about african weapons as 19c. war trophies brought back by soldiers and the lucrative trading in them there which sparked a local market, so many of them we find in estates in the UK may have been made 'after'. sobering thought. Last edited by kronckew; 1st October 2007 at 07:22 AM.

1st October 2007, 05:32 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,308	Kronckew, I'd sure like to find that reference!!! Anybody out there know where we might locate this?

1st October 2007, 07:25 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,308	Excellent!! Thank you very much Kronckew!! Jim