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Description: | Wrought iron spear head. The blade is an elongated leaf shape with a very shallow, indistinct central ridge. In plan the tip is rounded and the edges of the blade form very shallow almost imperceptible curves as the blade widens towards the butt. The edges in section appear to be deliberately rounded (rather than through corrosion). The tang is square in section from the point (of the tang) up to a distance of 25mm from the beginning of the flare for the blade. Here it becomes oval in section. The orientation of the squared part of the tang is progressively twisted so that the flat face of the tang does not match (ie is not parallel) with the flat of the blade. Towards the pointed end of the tang its flat face is at 45 degrees to the flat of the blade. There is also a pair of small, shallow flanges or recessed edges one on each side where the tang meets the butt of the blade. The corrosion does not seem very deep or thick but appears to be a thin superficial skim, certainly the whole artefact has been painted at some point with a glossy black paint. It measures 463mm long overall. The point of the blade is 9mm wide, the butt is 39.78mm wide. The tang is 108.36mm long and 11.3mm by 8.12mm at the flare of the blade where it is oval in section. It is 9.22mm thick where it turns square in section, and narrows to 2.21mm at the point of the tang. The central ridge of the blade is 4.95mm thick at the butt and 2.57mm thick at the point. The edges are 2.04mm thick at the point and 2.22mm thick at the butt of the blade before thickening to form the tang.Interpretation:It seems likely that this spearhead formed part of a Zulu iklwa, or stabbing spear. Both the elongated leaf shape of the blade and the pointed tang (to be inserted into a short wooden haft up to the point of the flanges) are typical of this type of spear. Iklwa were used by the Zulu throughout the nineteenth century. Many were brought back to Britain as trophies or souvenirs after the first Anglo Zulu War in 1879. This comparatively recent dating would explain the relative lack of significant corrosion on this piece. (N. Roberts, Curatorial Assistant, and T. Richardson, Curator of Oriental Collections, Royal Armouries, Leeds)
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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