Javelin
18th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This weapon was designed for use from horseback at close range for hunting, sport and warfare and was normally cased in pairs or threes. The use of such weapons formed an integral part of equestrian training in the Islamic world. They were well balanced and could be thrown with great accuracy.
Object details
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| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Pair of javelins (jarid), the flights are missing, Iran, 18th century |
| Physical description | A pair of javelins or throwing darts (jarid) used for equestrian exercise or hunting. Mistakenly believed to be a two headed spear in two pieces. TWO-HEAD SPEAR. Iron heads, inlaid with gold; wooden shaft; in two pieces, intended to be spliced together. L. of each, 2 ft. 7 ½ in. Bought (St. Maurice Collⁿ), 1l. 5s. Description taken from ‘List of Objects in the Art Division, South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1884’. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1885. p. 93 |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Bought from the collection of Gaston de Saint-Maurice (1831-1905) in 1884. Saint-Maurice displayed his extensive art collection at the 1878 Paris exhibition, in a gallery entitled L'Egypte des Khalifes. This was part of an official sequence of displays celebrating the history of Egypt, presented by the Egyptian state at this international event. Saint-Maurice held a position at the Khedival court, and had lived in Cairo in 1868-1878. Following the exhibition, Saint-Maurice offered his collection for sale to the South Kensington Museum (today the V&A). |
| Associations | |
| Summary | This weapon was designed for use from horseback at close range for hunting, sport and warfare and was normally cased in pairs or threes. The use of such weapons formed an integral part of equestrian training in the Islamic world. They were well balanced and could be thrown with great accuracy. |
| Bibliographic reference | Anthony North, An Introduction to Islamic Arms, London 1985, fig. 41a, p.43 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 979&A-1884 |
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| Record created | September 24, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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