RARE EARLY ZULU SPEAR ASSEGAI

Almost certainly one of the originals produced at Shaka’s direction on his ascent to power. 47” total length. Ridged leaf shaped head on slightly tapered bolster with just vestigial indents at the transition. By the 1850s these were pronounced and integral to all assegais. Good woven wire wrapped socket, encrusted from age and use. Wood haft with banded truncated conical butt showing carved and scraped finish under fine age patina. The head pitted and showing distinct forged lamination seam up the bolster. One of the fundamental steps to power of the Zulu army was the conversion at Shaka’s directive, of the light throwing spears to thrusting spears by combining two heads into one by forging. This is just the third example in over 50 years, on which we have seen that feature. The construction and aging is absolutely consistent with that 1820s dating.