African Zulu Stabbing Spear or Iklwa

This interesting item arrived with a number of other period items purportedly discovered during an historic visit to the area of the Rourkes drift action in 1879
The Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers and Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879, and continued into the following day, 23 January.

Just over 150 British and colonial troops successfully defended the garrison against an intense assault by 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. The massive but piecemeal[9] Zulu attacks on Rorke's Drift came very close to defeating the tiny garrison but were ultimately repelled. Eleven Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders, along with a number of other decorations and honours.
The iron spear head is heavily pitted with the remains of rust, but shows very little in the way of damage to the cutting edges. The socket which would have received a wooden shaft is still serviceable, enabling this item if required to be made whole.

Code: 50606