This artefact is a (Herero) hunting spear made of wood with unilateral barbs. The spear was used in hunting birds, and soft-skinned small animals as well as fishing. To some people, the design of these arrows is more aptly suited to fishing than fowling in the sense that the barbs ensure that the pierced fish does not slip out. It is also worthy to note that some (extant) 19th and 20th century Ovambo arrows have the same design. The basic Ovambo arrow designs were well established before their entrance into Namibia and were not tangibly affected by contact with the earlier cultures in Namibia Hei//om. It might be that the other cultures in Namibia were influenced by Ovambo weapon designs, and therefore adopted the arrow design for a spear. The absence of apparent breakage sign on the end of the object, excludes the likelihood that it is an arrow that has lost its nock due to age and/or handling.
The exact circumstances of the acquisition remain unclear. The object is still to be classified as sensitive.
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