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Spear

Datelate 1800s
Mediumiron, wood
Dimensions188.6 cm (74 1/4 in.)
ClassificationsArms and Armor
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Frank E. Heywood
Object number1917.10.7
DescriptionSimilar to 1917.10.2, but less well crafted, more oxidized surface. A scrap of what appears to be newspaper is lodged in a crack near the base of the shaft.Label TextIn much of Africa, the spear was the main weapon for battle, usually in conjunction with a shield. Different styles of heads, butt-caps, and wrapping on the shaft help identify the spear’s regional origin. The symbolic importance of spears and shields in African cultures is reflected in their appearance on the flags of Kenya and Eswatini (Swaziland).
On View
On view
Current Location
  • Exhibition Location   Gallery 2204
Image © Worcester Art Museum, all rights reserved.
Eastern African
late 1800s
Image © Worcester Art Museum, all rights reserved.
Maasai people, Eastern African
late 1800s
Conservation Status: After Treatment
Maasai people, Eastern African
late 1800s
Image © 2025 Worcester Art Museum, all rights reserved.
Eastern African
late 1800s
Conservation Status: After Treatment
Maasai people, Eastern African
late 1800s
Image © 2025 Worcester Art Museum, all rights reserved.
Maasai people, Eastern African
late 1800s
Conservation Status: After Treatment
Eastern African
late 1800s
Spearhead
Maasai people, Eastern African
late 1800s-early 1900s
Reference Image - Not for Reproduction
Eastern European
late 1600s–early 1700s
Ol alem (sword)
Maasai people, Eastern African
early 1900s
French Newspaper
MISHIMA Kimiyo
about 1981