[kronckew]

My three Ik'lwa and an Iwisa.

Note that the Zulu took tribute from the tribes they conquered, including having them make their weapons, so they do vary a bit.

The Iwisa (knobkerry in Boer Dutch) were frequently dished, when stored leaning on a wall the dish would have a lump of fat in it to melt and keep the ball head from splitting. Some larger ones had a 2nd dished bit opposite the first and they'd alternate which was up and greased.

Zulu throwing spears had more slender shafts, shorter blades and long tangs protruding from the sockets, the Ik'lwa ('assegai' is european) tangs were almost fully hidden by their sockets. Zulu did make their own iron and brass/copper wire before the Europeans. The common soldiers got the ones with cow tail sleeves, braided wire and thongs were for higher ranks. spear and ik'lwa blades almost invariably had a distinctive 'pinch' or notch mark bboth sides where the blade joins the tang. (Bottom)