Item:
ON7618

Original Victorian Era Zulu Wars Wooden Throwing Knobkierie War Club - circa 1879

Item Description

Original Item: Only one available. Once the Battle is over, the victorious have the right to stroll the field looking for spoils to bring home to remind them of their Victory. England has been full of such items but sadly in years since WW2 most everything has gone. This genuine Zulu Knobkierie is a very nice example that no doubt some young British trooper found on the battle field and brought back to England as a remembrance.

Some of those brought back were very substantial with large heads and stout relatively short hafts, whereas others has small almost insignificant ball heads. The reason for this is that the lighter ones which were carried in the left hand behind the shield were not for hand to hand combat: they were for throwing as soon as the warrior got in range of the enemy. Apparently with skill these were very effective.

This example measures 32" overall and is carved from one piece of hardwood. The round war head is just under 2 inches in diameter, quite small compared to some, but perfect for THROWING.

In excellent matured condition, ready to display!

Hard to believe that the Zulu Native warriors destroyed most of a Regiment (24th of Foot) in 1879 being armed with clubs, spears and shields. Wonderfully recalled in the Movies ZULU and ZULU DAWN.

A Knobkierie, also spelled knobkerrie, knopkierie or knobkerry, is a form of club used mainly in Southern and Eastern Africa. Typically they have a large knob at one end and can be used for throwing at animals in hunting or for clubbing an enemy's head. The knobkierie is carved from a branch thick enough for the knob, with the rest being whittled down to create the shaft.

The name derives from the Afrikaans word knop, meaning knot or ball and the Nama (one of the Khoekhoe languages) word kierie, meaning cane or walking stick. The name has been extended to similar weapons used by the natives of Australia, the Pacific islands and other places.

Knobkieries were an indispensable weapon of war, particularly among southern Nguni tribes such as the Zulu (as the iwisa) and the Xhosa. Knobkieries was occasionally used during World War I. The weapon also being carried by British soldiers in Siegfried Sassoon's fictionalized autobiography.

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