A 19th century Zulu stabbing spear with an exceptionally large old blade. Blade is 18 x 2.5 ins long, one of the largest we have seen, and pitted with age. This is very much in the pattern of King Shaka's original iklwa, and the blade may even date back to that period. It has been re-hafted in more recent times, however, with a traditional cow-tail binding, and two lengths of 'telephone wire' decoration, of the type popular in the 1970s. Overall length 41 ins. A heavy, stout weapon which clearly belonged in its day to a warrior of some importance; it's a beast!
