Assegai

The Assegai, also called Hassegai or assegai, is a spear from Africa.

Description

The Assegai has a straight, wooden shaft of different length and thickness. The blade is usually symmetrical and leaf- shaped. There are versions in which the tip is fitted with triangular barbs. It is mounted with a bush on the shaft. The length of the Assegai varied. There is the long version to throw, but also a short version with a larger blade, which is only intended for Crashing. The shaft is in some versions at the end of becoming less, in other over the entire length of the same thickness. A famous Assegai was designed and supported by Shaka, king of the Zulu. The new Speer was not intended to be thrown, but only for stinging. The blade was larger, heavier, and had a more triangular shape. The spear of Shaka got the name Iklwa. In addition Shaka equipped his warriors with heavy, long shields from cowhide, which revolutionized African warfare. The metal which used the Zulu at that time, had a high quality, had a high carbon content, was resistant to rust and had good edge retention and hardness. The Assegai was carried by the askaris still at the end of the Second World War ( see Infobox ).