1944.10.25

Collection type

Object

Description

Spear with a narrow iron spear-head with quadrangular section, socketed base and incised geometric decoration. [PH [OPS move] 4/7/2018]

Long description

Spear consisting of an iron spear-head with narrow, square sectioned body, decorated with incised and cut-away designs. These are arranged in 3 groups, with spaces between. The first two groups are identical, and consist of lozenge-shaped beading framed by parallel grooves around the body above and below. This beading has been created by cutting away small triangular segments from the top and bottom of each edge - making eight such cut-outs around the body, leaving a raised lozenge at the centre of each of the four flat faces. The third group is made up of the top part of this design - two parallel lines, then a half-lozenge, or triangle, created by triangular cut-outs around the upper corners only. The spear-head then tapers out to a cylindrical socket with closed seam running up the front, and 2 closely spaced grooves incised around its upper part. This has been fitted over the top of a cane shaft with six segments along its length. This has a slightly oval section and has been stained a reddish brown colour (Pantone 469C). The butt has been damaged, and has not been stained; traces of copper corrosion suggest that there was originally some kind of metal attachment; the accession record indicates this was a reused brass cartridge case, currently missing. The spear is otherwise complete, with some splits down the shaft body. It has a weight of 430.3 grams and a total length of 1298 mm. The spear-head is 403 mm long, 13 mm wide and 12.8 mm thick, with a socket diameter of 19 by 18.5 mm, while the shaft has an upper body diameter of 16 by 15.2 mm [RTS 14/7/2005].

Geographical reference

Sudan, Republic of

Africa > Northern Africa > Sudan, Republic of

Blue Nile Darfung

Cultural groups

Ingessana

Person

Field collector L. Gorringe

PRM source Mrs L. Gorringe

Date / Period

Date made: Before 1912

Date collected

1902 - 1912

Acquisition information

Donated: 1944

Materials and processes

Material Iron Metal, Material Cane Plant, Material Bamboo Plant, Process Forged (Metal), Process Hammered, Process Socketed, Process Stained, Process Incised

Dimensions

Diameter: max 19 mm, Length: max 1930 mm, Weight 430.3 g

Object numbers

Accession number: 1944.10.25

Research and responses

Gaam, a language (also called Ingassana or Tabi) is found in the eastern Sudan near Lake Ar-Rusayris. Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. It seems there was originally a joint donor of both the Lightbody and Gorringe collections. There is no information in the accession book as to who this may have been. See Additional Accession Book Entry for 1944.10.17 for relevant text regarding this [MR 7/7/2000].

Dar Fung seems to be the same as Darfung, in the Roseires Dam region of the Blue Nile administrative district (see http://www.calle.com/world/sudan/Da.html). The decorative work on the spear-head appears to be more Arab in style than Nilotic [RTS 14/10/2003].

Search terms: Weapon, Spear, Spear-head