Asoro (spears) were used as weapons. The tip of the long wooden shaft would either be carved from wood or made of iron and hafted to the shaft. Iron tips would have been made by the Igun Eyeanugie, who are part of the Igun-Ematon and have the responsibility of making weapons.

Asoro made from iron and wood were used by specially trained warriors in the Benin armies (Osadolor, 2001, p.117

), there were two types: long and short. They would be used with shields as well as crossbows and arrows during battle, and on relief plaques they are depicted being carried by warriors and even the Ọba. Some spears are cast in brass, and these likely served a ceremonial rather than practical function.

Asoro

Spear

United States of America

Website

Online Catalogue

Brooklyn Museum

Internal Data (eng)

Wikidata Link

Culin, Stewart

Ethnographer

Curator

Poncelet, François

Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund

Foundation

Patron

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Digital Benin linked field	Institution field	Value
object id	ObjectID	18210
designation, object type	Title	Spear
description	Description	Spear with wooden shaft and double iron blade. Shaft is wrapped with metal strips and plaited material. Wood carved in relief design; near point, upper part of spear decorated with spirals.
material	Medium	Iron, wood, fiber
dimensions	Dimensions	43 11/16 × 1 15/16 in. (111 × 5 cm)
inscriptions	Inscriptions
date made	Alpha Sort 2	late 19th or early 20th century
date made	Begin Date	1868
production place	Geography	Place made: Benin City, Royal Court of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, Africa
prior source	Credit Line	Museum Expedition1922, Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund
provenance	Provenance	Prior to 1922, provenance not yet documented; by 1922, acquired by François Poncelet, Brussels; 1922, purchased from François Poncelet by Stewart Culin in Brussels for the Brooklyn Museum.
ethnic attribution	Alpha Sort	Edo
ethnic attribution	Maker	Edo
exhibition history	Exhibition History	Anniston Museum of Natural History, Anniston, AL, November 1978 - November 1981.
bibliography	Published References
	Object Number	22.1578
	Sort Number	1922 1578

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