CEREMONIAL "WARRIOR LANCE" 0145
The Lakota War Lance was carried in ceremonies to honor the bravery and success of its owner in hunting or for fighting tribal enemies. The wind catches its leather fringes driving the lance to its target. The Saguaro cactus handle is decorated with leather, feathers and beads. The bone blade is 6" by 1-1/4", total length of the Lance is 53-1/2". A collectible and decorative piece of Native Americana. This is a replica artifact from years gone by. The objects man makes are called artifacts, and every artifact, whether it is beautiful or ugly, crude or refined, utilitarian or ceremonial, is a reflection and product of man's skills, his techniques, his arts. Artifacts reflect the ideas, the concepts, and the knowledge acquired or learned as a member of a tribe. Members of a particular tribe use certain techniques, and create a particular style because that is their tradition. The Plains Style Lance was always an important part of the weapons arsenal. Early in prehistory, the lance was a stone tipped weapon, most likely with a hardwood or bone foreshaft to make changing points easy and to avoid having to carry another heavy shaft as backup. When steel trade blades or broken swords from the Spanish or cavalry replaced the traditional stone, the lance became a very durable item. Lances were primarily thrusting weapons, and were often used from horseback. They varied in length from a reported 14 foot model used by the Comanches to a more normal six foot. The lance was meant to be thrown so much as rammed. The trick was to let go at the right moment so as to get the maximum force without toppling horse and rider. Lances were wielded by only a few prominent warriors, usually as a token of their status. |