spear (general & multipurpose)

Description:

Barbed Spear, Tala o le Lo, Samoa, Western Polynesia This type of Samoan spear is named tala o le lo, meaning the barbed tail of the lo (Siganus vermiculatus, the Rabbitfish). Impressively carved from a single piece of the unique indigenous pau wood (Manilkara samoensis), the arrangement of barbs pointing both upwards and downwards ensured it was as deadly during removal as it was on the initial wounding. Perhaps more importantly, the forward-pointing barbs enabled the Samoan warrior (toa) to use his tala o le lo to parry and deflect other spear and club strikes in a way that other spear designs could not. Wood. Mid 19th Century. Formerly in the private collection of Captain A. E. Straw. One piece spear of type ‘tala o le lo’, comprising a tip of six rows of three barbs, above twelve elements of doubly barbed triplets of spikes facing upwards and downwards. At two points in this succession of forms the shaft thickens to a triangular prism which is scored longitudinally and inlaid with lime.

Format:

image

Collections:

Horniman Museum and Gardens

Content partner:

Horniman Museum and Gardens

Availability:

Not specified