Bassa Spear
Bassa - Mano - Dan - Vai - Loma or surrounding people
Bassaland - Liberia - French Guinea (Guinea) - British Sierra Leone ( Sierra Leone) - Liberia - Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Late 19th - Early 20th century (ca. 1880 - 1930)
Iron, wood, fur (African Leopard), leather
Blade: 26cm
Blade & Shaft: 80,6cm
Spatulate End: 36,8cm
Overall Length: 118,4cm
Collection Date: 2025
Collection Number: 499

Ex. American Art Market (2025)

A West African Spear from the Bassa or neighboring people of Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, or Ivory Coast. The iron blade is double- edged with a thickly raised squared medial ridge. The blade slightly widens at the center before slowly tapering to a point. The base of the blade has curled ironwork. Wooden shaft covered in two sections of African Leopard fur (worn). The central grip is composed of a leather wrapped segment. The segments are held tightly in place by four leather plaited sections. Iron spatulate butt plate with a series of concentric rings above. The spear still retains its original leather sheath (missing the tip).

An interesting and uncommon West African spear that has seen a moderate amount of use. It was likely owned by an individual of a higher societal rank as the fur is from an African leopard rather than the spotted hyena. The African leopard is revered in this region as a sacred animal, and its talismanic symbolism can be found within the secret society cults, particularly in the leopard secret society of Bassaland and the outlying areas. It was historically affiliated with kidnappings, ritual killings, cannibalism, and the drinking of the victims blood, granting the assembled members superhuman powers and enabling them to transform into a leopard.

[1] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-662

[2] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-9590

[3] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-2658

[4] https://www.africanarms.com/gallery?bassa-mano-vey-dan-98-7-cm

[5] https://www.africanarms.com/gallery?bassa-mano-vey-dan-110-cm

[6] https://www.africanarms.com/gallery?bassa-mano-vey-dan-112-6-cm