Whaler's Hand Lance

Description:

After harpoons fastened the whale and whaleboat together, a whale was given plenty of time and rope to dive, try to swim away, and otherwise wear itself out. Once the exhausted animal returned to the surface to breathe, the whaleboat approached it, and a hand lance, also known as a killing iron, was used to actually dispatch the animal.

Hand lances had long shafts, to allow the point to penetrate deep into the whale’s body in search of the thick neck arteries. The tips of the killing irons were leaf or oval shaped and extremely sharp, so that they cut on the way in and on the way out, and were easier to remove and stab repeatedly. Cutting the neck arteries prevented the animal from deep diving and hastened its bleeding to death.

This nickel-plated example was manufactured and donated by Luther Cole of Fairhaven, Mass.

Date Made: 1880s

Maker: Cole, Luther

Place Made: United States: Massachusetts, Fairhaven

Used: WhalingRelated Event: The Development of the Industrial United States

Subject:

See more items in: Work and Industry: Fisheries, Cultures & Communities, Work, Industry & Manufacturing, Natural Resources, Transportation, On the Water exhibit

Exhibition: On the Water

Exhibition Location: National Museum of American History

Related Web Publication: http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthewater

Related Publication: Brown, James Temple. The Whale Fishery and Its Appliances, On the Water online exhibition

Credit Line: U.S. Fish Commission through Luther Cole

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: AG.056357Accession Number: 012326Catalog Number: 056357

Object Name: harpoon, spear-type

Physical Description: iron (overall material)nickel-plated (overall material)Measurements: overall: 70 3/8 in; x 178.7525 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a6-e4cf-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_866833

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