Unknown Spear Tip

This is a first for me. Found this at a flea market this morning. I decided pretty quick I wanted it and for $20, I wasn't going to leave it.

I know very little to nothing about spears. It looks African to me but who knows. It's 22 3/4 inches long and the widest portion of the blade is 1 1/8th inch.

The shaft connection is rolled with a seam on the one side. Everything looks handmade/forged steel

Only thing remotely similar that I have is a Zulu reproduction spear but that's just because it also is a spear, all similarities end there.

Any information appreciated. I did some looking but didn't find anything similar. I'd like to make a shaft for it if possible but would need to know what kind of wood, length, etc.

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I don't think it's African. I have some and they don't look like that. Mine are very rough by comparison. Here first is a Bulova from Central India just for fun. Then what I was told was Zulu but don't think it's an Iklwa but an Assegai that was cut down to travel. Then an East African endeavor, possibly from Uganda. Last and my favorite is a Samburu personal weapon. Very long and well made and has the blade protector so you don't offend elders when you herd your goats through their village with a bare blade.

The Zulu point is rough but not so bad as the second which can easily be seen to be iron ore pounded out to shape by a village blacksmith. The Samburu spear is about seven feet long and not so rough. You can see marks in the blade from work but it at least is laminated together. If you look up the wood they use for shafts you get the phone book... What did the Africans make their spear shafts out of? (Ash wood is very rare in Africa) - Quora

Your spear head is nice and not rough at all, maybe Arabic? It could actually have been made for a palace guard by a rich contract. No bush basher did that. You probably better sell it to me...

My sister suggested Arabic, Dinka to be specific. She knows nothing about them either, just searching and trying to be helpful. The blade design looks about right.

I made a handle for it today out of a screw in hardwood handle for brooms and paint rollers. It is now 77 inches long.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

It is now 77 inches long.

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About the same as mine, both. Makes it much more fierce once it's in perspective, doesn't it.

I would’ve jumped on that for $20 too.
No brainer! Clever thinking on the broom handle. Pretty cheap project overall — nice work!

Now I have a problem, I want to throw it so bad, but I don't want to risk breaking it.

I'm going to have to find a modern spear now I suspect.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

a modern spear

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Cold steel makes a boar spear you could mess with, right up your alley. It would make good backdoor home protection too... Also a Viking model, a bit more solid. Cold Steel Samburu Spear, Black Finish, Sports Outdoors - Amazon Canada

My sister has been making herself busy searching for these. She has found a similar one identified as North African. I also found a couple similar to this one identified as Sudan. None have the open rectangular feature. She also said they tied feathers or streamers to them.

https://image.invaluable.com/housePh...Y1OTA5ODg1OC4w

Wherever it is from, you wouldn't want one through your head.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...lifetime-1.jpg

I give up, what's the connection of the photo. It's RF Burton, got that, what's it have to do with a spear in the head?

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

RF Burton

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"I turned to cut him (his colleague) down: he cried out in alarm; the well known voice caused an instant’s hesitation: at that moment a spearman stepped forward, left his javelin in my mouth, and retired before he could be punished."

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

I give up, what's the connection of the photo. It's RF Burton, got that, what's it have to do with a spear in the head?

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He took a spear through the head. That diagonal scar is the mark, and I believe there was one on each side. Lost a few teeth IIRC, but somehow escaped death by infection. Luck or a strong immune system?

The extraction can't have been much fun, somewhat like the extraction of the bodkin from the head of Henry V:

Henry V arrowhead removal - YouTube