Spear for comments .. Sudan ?

[Iain]

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

This type of spear is from the Somaliland/Somalia area. The well-made blade form and flat metal butt are distinctive.

But of course they could also diffuse to neighboring areas.

The broad leaf shaped blade seems to have found its way into quite a few connected regions. Do you have a period photo from Somaliland of one? Not doubting you just curious!

No, I would place this spear in the Northern Nigeria area, perhaps Hausa. The blade form is a bit different and the cross-section is also different, being a flattened diamond and lacking the pronounced midrib of the Somali one. But to mention... Hausa spears of this type can sometimes be virtually identical to spears from Madagascar !

I would be surprised if this one is Hausa, spears from the Hausa and Fulani tend to be more lance like and even if broad, much more slender than Sudanese, Chadic or Somali examples.

But I have no major expert in spears, I've tended to focus on the Calvary lances and am a bit out of my depth on the multitude of other spear types in Nigeria.

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by Iain

The broad leaf shaped blade seems to have found its way into quite a few connected regions. Do you have a period photo from Somaliland of one? Not doubting you just curious!

How about this from the Oldman catalogue

[Iain]

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

How about this from the Oldman catalogue

Thanks! I'd always had this style more in mind from Somalia. http://www.africanarms.com/album/all-albums/!/oa/6644091-106314862/

[Kubur]

More Sudanese spears...

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Kubur

More Sudanese spears...

Spears in your first image (the museum display) are not Sudanese but from Congo.