2 African spears for ID please

Iain · 3rd July 2010, 09:21 PM

Could be Hausa as Luc pointed out or Fula or Tuareg. I'm not familiar enough with the decorative markings to make the distinction but definitely the bottom one is what the Tuareg call a "tarda" as opposed to the "allar" which is entirely metal.

katana · 4th July 2010, 04:22 PM

Thank you both, Luc and Ispn, for your input

According to Spring 'African arms and armour' ...."in addition a javelin, tarda with iron head and wooden shaft was reserved to the Imrad and Iklan classes only......"

The Imrad were the vassel class (immediately below the Ihaggaren ...the Aristocratic class) The Iklan were ....."composed of negroid peoples who over many centuries had been captured in warfare or bought as slaves....."

Kind Regards David

Tim Simmons · 4th July 2010, 08:10 PM

Nice spears David. They could be Hausa. I am not sure. They could also be from Central Africa as in the South Sudan. The one without a central ridge I could easily say Hausa but not so much so with the other. I myself associate the central ridge with a more easterly orign. One thing is that your spears do have a wider shoe {butt end} which does seem to be a more westerly thing. Anyway here is a picture of something similar I have. Perhaps a little longer, the white stick is 48 inches or 122cm long. They do appear a little crude for hausa work?

katana · 4th July 2010, 11:32 PM

Hi Tim,
thanks for the info

and pics (very nice example).

You have reminded me that I have not included measurements

.

The spear with the spiral decoration is 183 cms long (72 inches), the other is 180 cms (approx. 71 inches).

Regards David

PS Tim do you think your spear was a status object. It is quite large (heavy) for a javelin type 'thrower' so perhaps functioned similar to a pike, or a lance from horse/camel back.

katana · 9th July 2010, 05:55 PM

Cleaned most of the black/rust layer to show the spiralling better (personally I would have been more cautious about removing so much patina.....but the previous over-zealous, partial, clean forced my hand)

Regards David

.

4th July 2010, 08:10 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,855	Nice spears David. They could be Hausa. I am not sure. They could also be from Central Africa as in the South Sudan. The one without a central ridge I could easily say Hausa but not so much so with the other. I myself associate the central ridge with a more easterly orign. One thing is that your spears do have a wider shoe {butt end} which does seem to be a more westerly thing. Anyway here is a picture of something similar I have. Perhaps a little longer, the white stick is 48 inches or 122cm long. They do appear a little crude for hausa work? Attached Images

9th July 2010, 05:55 PM	#5
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Cleaned most of the black/rust layer to show the spiralling better (personally I would have been more cautious about removing so much patina.....but the previous over-zealous, partial, clean forced my hand) Regards David . Attached Images

3rd July 2010, 09:21 PM	#1
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,717	Could be Hausa as Luc pointed out or Fula or Tuareg. I'm not familiar enough with the decorative markings to make the distinction but definitely the bottom one is what the Tuareg call a "tarda" as opposed to the "allar" which is entirely metal.

4th July 2010, 04:22 PM	#2
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Thank you both, Luc and Ispn, for your input According to Spring 'African arms and armour' ...."in addition a javelin, tarda with iron head and wooden shaft was reserved to the Imrad and Iklan classes only......" The Imrad were the vassel class (immediately below the Ihaggaren ...the Aristocratic class) The Iklan were ....."composed of negroid peoples who over many centuries had been captured in warfare or bought as slaves....." Kind Regards David

4th July 2010, 11:32 PM	#4
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Hi Tim, thanks for the info and pics (very nice example). You have reminded me that I have not included measurements . The spear with the spiral decoration is 183 cms long (72 inches), the other is 180 cms (approx. 71 inches). Regards David PS Tim do you think your spear was a status object. It is quite large (heavy) for a javelin type 'thrower' so perhaps functioned similar to a pike, or a lance from horse/camel back.