iNgobamakhosi ibutho. 1879

Posts : 2558 Join date : 2009-04-06 Age : 61 Location : UK

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“A young warrior of the iNgobamakhosi ibutho in the typical war-dress of the 1879 period. Although some warriors retained part of their ceremonial regalia in battle, most younger men wore nothing but a loin covering and a necklace of charms to ward off evil; this man also has a snuff container around his neck, and a snuff-spoon in his ear. Although by 1879 a large number of Zulus carried some form of firearm – like the outdated percussion model carried here, together with a leather bag for shot and a powder-horn – they continued to place more faith in their traditional weapons. 2 The smaller umbumbuluzo warshield, shown here, was more popular than the original isihlangu, although both types were carried, even within the same regiment. Offensive weapons consisted of; 3 stabbing spear – an expertly crafted blade set into a wooden halt, and either bound round with animal fibre and covered with a tube of hide from a calf’s tail, or scaled with split cane; 4 lighter throwing spears; 5 a variety of knobkerries, some decorated with copper or brass wire; 6 the axe was less common, and largely carried as a prestige weapon by men of rank!.

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