Spear ID - Niger or West African?

Iain · 10th February 2013, 11:14 PM

Hi all,

Just picked this up this evening. Not sure of an exact attribution. The head is similar to some forms of Tuareg allarh (L’Allarh Gerigéri) while the butt is also clearly Sahel work to me - although I could be wrong!

The wire wrapped shaft is a bit more of an unknown. Overall not a real big one - 163cm or a bit over 5 feet.

The head looks to be very thick and very well made.

Any ideas? I'll take more pics when I have it in hand hopefully next week.

Tim Simmons · 11th February 2013, 12:17 PM

Very nice.

kronckew · 11th February 2013, 01:15 PM

as granny would say, "you could poke somebody's eye out with that". you should send it to me so i can keep it away from the children for you

nice , wherever it came from...

Iain · 11th February 2013, 03:38 PM

Glad you guys like the look of it. It was a bit of an impulse buy so it's good to hear it has a bit of appeal.

No thoughts on an ethnic or regional ID? I've never run across something similar. My resources on spears are slim but a quick glance through Stone, Waffen aus Zentral Afrika, and a few others didn't turn up even a remote match for a spear head of that style. Closest thing I've found is this spear head from the Musée de l'infanterie in France - labeled as Tuareg.

Tim Simmons · 11th February 2013, 04:15 PM

Could be anywhere south Sahara lots of people sharing much art styles. By the Bill Marsh has an all version but I cannot find the thread. We do not here much from Bill these days.

Iain · 11th February 2013, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Could be anywhere south Sahara lots of people sharing much art styles. By the Bill Marsh has an all version but I cannot find the thread. We do not here much from Bill these days.

Hi Tim,

Too true - often frustrating trying to be anything close to precise when it comes to anything Sahel - I'll try to find Bill's thread.

colin henshaw · 16th February 2013, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iain

Hi all,

Just picked this up this evening. Not sure of an exact attribution. The head is similar to some forms of Tuareg allarh (L’Allarh Gerigéri) while the butt is also clearly Sahel work to me - although I could be wrong!

The wire wrapped shaft is a bit more of an unknown. Overall not a real big one - 163cm or a bit over 5 feet.

The head looks to be very thick and very well made.

Any ideas? I'll take more pics when I have it in hand hopefully next week.

Very nice spear Iain. There is something very similar in A C Tirri's book "Islamic Weapons" described as Indian, Maratha, known as a "Bhala".

Regards.

Martin Lubojacky · 16th February 2013, 10:35 PM

That is true. This Bhala spearhead is really very similar ! So isn´t this "javelin", after all, comming from Indian sub-continent ?

Iain · 17th February 2013, 11:52 AM

Hi Colin and Martin,

Unfortunately I don't have the book. Is there any chance you would have the time to take a photo or scan of the page in question?

I'm quite curious to see it.

I'd actually asked around behind the scenes about the Indian aspect and from the couple folks I asked the consensus seemed to be that the shoe/butt with the square like decorative motif didn't seem very Indian?

colin henshaw · 17th February 2013, 12:47 PM

Here it is - from the book by Anthony C Tirri "Islamic Weapons" 2003.

(Hope this is OK regarding copyright)

Regards.

Iain · 17th February 2013, 02:52 PM

Hi Colin,

Many thanks - that's pretty darn close in terms of the head shape. I guess mine is Indian as well then.

Makes sense now as the head shape is a bit different than anything African I've seen and the wire wrap on the handle seemed out of place for a Sahel weapon.

10th February 2013, 11:14 PM	#1
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,719	Spear ID - Niger or West African? Hi all, Just picked this up this evening. Not sure of an exact attribution. The head is similar to some forms of Tuareg allarh (L’Allarh Gerigéri) while the butt is also clearly Sahel work to me - although I could be wrong! The wire wrapped shaft is a bit more of an unknown. Overall not a real big one - 163cm or a bit over 5 feet. The head looks to be very thick and very well made. Any ideas? I'll take more pics when I have it in hand hopefully next week. Attached Images

11th February 2013, 03:38 PM	#4
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,719	Glad you guys like the look of it. It was a bit of an impulse buy so it's good to hear it has a bit of appeal. No thoughts on an ethnic or regional ID? I've never run across something similar. My resources on spears are slim but a quick glance through Stone, Waffen aus Zentral Afrika, and a few others didn't turn up even a remote match for a spear head of that style. Closest thing I've found is this spear head from the Musée de l'infanterie in France - labeled as Tuareg. Attached Images

17th February 2013, 12:47 PM	#10
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,429	Here it is - from the book by Anthony C Tirri "Islamic Weapons" 2003. (Hope this is OK regarding copyright) Regards. Attached Images

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11th February 2013, 12:17 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	Very nice.

11th February 2013, 01:15 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,259	as granny would say, "you could poke somebody's eye out with that". you should send it to me so i can keep it away from the children for you nice , wherever it came from...

11th February 2013, 04:15 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	Could be anywhere south Sahara lots of people sharing much art styles. By the Bill Marsh has an all version but I cannot find the thread. We do not here much from Bill these days.

16th February 2013, 10:35 PM	#8
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 845	That is true. This Bhala spearhead is really very similar ! So isn´t this "javelin", after all, comming from Indian sub-continent ?

17th February 2013, 11:52 AM	#9
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,719	Hi Colin and Martin, Unfortunately I don't have the book. Is there any chance you would have the time to take a photo or scan of the page in question? I'm quite curious to see it. I'd actually asked around behind the scenes about the Indian aspect and from the couple folks I asked the consensus seemed to be that the shoe/butt with the square like decorative motif didn't seem very Indian?

17th February 2013, 02:52 PM	#11
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,719	Hi Colin, Many thanks - that's pretty darn close in terms of the head shape. I guess mine is Indian as well then. Makes sense now as the head shape is a bit different than anything African I've seen and the wire wrap on the handle seemed out of place for a Sahel weapon.