Eng’erempe (spear)
Datelate 1800s
Mediumiron, wood
Dimensions190.2 cm (74 7/8 in.)
ClassificationsArms and Armor
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Frank E. Heywood
Object number1917.10.5
DescriptionLike 1917.10.1, but thinner, with slightly longer triangular head with symmetrical midribs; shorter shaft, slightly longer butt-spike. Butt-spike has round cross-section.Label TextMaasai men belong to age groups that determine their status, each age group traditionally being set apart by a distinctive style of weapons. The shape and length of the spearhead and butt-spike on Maasai spears identified the owner’s age group. This spear would have been carried by a moran, or junior warrior. This type of spear is recognizable by its long narrow blade and its butt-spike, which balances the weight of the blade. One of its most important traditional uses was for lion hunting, an activity that won honor for a moran and his family.
On View
Not on view
late 1800s-early 1900s
