Massai ceremonial initiation spear for comment

Titus Pullo · 4th March 2006, 01:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freddy

Luc, according to the book 'African Arms and Armour' by Christopher Spring, there are more types of Maasai spear.

This is what he writes in his book :

The graded system of Maasai society is reflected by the four distinct types of spear commonly used by them. The uncircumcised boys usually carry a javelin-like spear, esururu, made out of one piece of rounded iron, sometimes with a leather hand grip bound around the centre. The head is sometimes hammered into an oval shape but often left straight. The butt is usually of square section.

A couple of years ago, I happened to stumble onto such a spear. Here are some pics :

This is not some kind of ceremonial item. It has a real good balance and is fairly heavy (all iron). I think it would do quite some damage when thrown at something or someone.

The total length is approx 1m80 (72 inches)

I heard they used to hunt lions with their spears. It takes a lot of injuries to kill a big ferocious animals like that. I heard somebody was attacked by a sick lion, that couldn't hunt the normal preys, and at first, he stabbed it a couple times with his knife, and it still was trying to kill him by closing it's jaws around his head trying to puncture his skull with the big canines, so he keep stabbing it until it finally let go and took off.

katana · 26th March 2007, 01:22 PM

This recently finished on eBay, similar to the spear that started this thread, but not as well made/forged. The seller stated it was described as 100% Zulu when bought from a reputable auction house

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...0440&rd=1&rd=1

I think it was mis-described, has anyone any thoughts or comments?

Regards David

Tim Simmons · 26th March 2007, 06:54 PM

Again I think this is most likely Ngoni. I got this little Ngoni? Shona? dance spear recently. I think is very pretty. I think the owner did too, as it has been repaired. The halft is only 13mm diameter so it may have easily been broken in vigorous dance. The edges are not sharp. I have examined the repair with my jewellers loop and I am feeling happy to tell myself it is genuine native work with gum and wire. There was a label 1862 on it but that is a bit like believing what you read in the newspapers. I have cleaned the spear and the flash is on. Total length 80cm.

katana · 26th March 2007, 07:55 PM

Hi Tim,
the binding (wire?) on your spear is very similar to the bindings found on a number of Zulu spears.

Tim Simmons · 26th March 2007, 08:13 PM

Hi David,

This is a difficult area to be certain as the same weapons and technology is used by many people that live in the South East tip of African. I have always thought that the real good Zulu artifacts do not usually come with the brass wire decoration but that could just be one of those collector opinions. A good book to get is quite cheap and from amazon- Art of South East Africa. having said that I do have things that I believe are Zulu and they do not have brass wire on them.

26th March 2007, 06:54 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,922	Again I think this is most likely Ngoni. I got this little Ngoni? Shona? dance spear recently. I think is very pretty. I think the owner did too, as it has been repaired. The halft is only 13mm diameter so it may have easily been broken in vigorous dance. The edges are not sharp. I have examined the repair with my jewellers loop and I am feeling happy to tell myself it is genuine native work with gum and wire. There was a label 1862 on it but that is a bit like believing what you read in the newspapers. I have cleaned the spear and the flash is on. Total length 80cm. Attached Images

26th March 2007, 01:22 PM	#2
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	This recently finished on eBay, similar to the spear that started this thread, but not as well made/forged. The seller stated it was described as 100% Zulu when bought from a reputable auction house http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...0440&rd=1&rd=1 I think it was mis-described, has anyone any thoughts or comments? Regards David

26th March 2007, 07:55 PM	#4
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Hi Tim, the binding (wire?) on your spear is very similar to the bindings found on a number of Zulu spears.

26th March 2007, 08:13 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,922	Hi David, This is a difficult area to be certain as the same weapons and technology is used by many people that live in the South East tip of African. I have always thought that the real good Zulu artifacts do not usually come with the brass wire decoration but that could just be one of those collector opinions. A good book to get is quite cheap and from amazon- Art of South East Africa. having said that I do have things that I believe are Zulu and they do not have brass wire on them.