CC0 · no rights reserved
Fragment of a Spear (eng'erempe or eremet)
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Masaai men of different ages use different styles of weapons. Though this example is incomplete, the long, flat blade indicates that it once belonged to a man whose age group was called moran (junior warrior). Held at the middle by the wood shaft, the weighty spear was balanced by a now-missing butt end, essentially a slender metal spike. These weapons were practical, and were often used by moran in lion hunting.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineFragment of a Spear (eng'erempe or eremet), 1900s. Africa, Eastern Africa, Kenya, Masaai style, unknown maker. Iron and wood; overall: 17.6 cm (6 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the African Art Sponsors of Karamu House, 1929.371