Ethiopian Spear (From the Battle of Adwa, 1896)

Dark-tipped and tall, a thin staff with very little to say.

This spear from the Battle of Adwa, 1896 is from Ethiopia, East Africa, and dates to the late 19th century. It is bamboo & iron. Spears were a long-standing weapon in the Horn of Africa, and infantry in Ethiopian armies often carried them alongside shields and firearms. Slim, upright shaft in medium brown, banded with faint joints at intervals. The blade at the top is small and dark, and the foot ends in a narrow metal point. It is 134 inches high.

Efficient to the last centimeter, and not showy.