Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
30th September 2025, 03:37 PM
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Replies: 13
Views: 10,120
But they are functional and simple weapons. The...
But they are functional and simple weapons. The unsheathed swords are pretty spartan, except for the quality of the leatherwork, that varies a lot. And there is also variation in how much decoration...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
29th September 2025, 08:54 AM
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Replies: 13
Views: 10,120
Those certainly are interesting questions.
...
Those certainly are interesting questions.
Regarding 1, in traditional Mandinka society there is a tripartite hereditary division between horon or free farmers (from which the "noblemen" and...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
28th September 2025, 03:12 PM
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Replies: 13
Views: 10,120
The disintegration of the great states of the...
The disintegration of the great states of the Western Sahel during the late 16th and 17th centuries was definitely important in the history of these sabers. However, the collective use in this...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
27th September 2025, 08:08 AM
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Replies: 13
Views: 10,120
This is a facinating topic I am very fond of.
...
This is a facinating topic I am very fond of.
First, some terminological considerations. These are often called Mandinka sabers in relation to the Mandinka, who were one of the main users. The...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
12th August 2025, 10:51 PM
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Replies: 32
Views: 46,047
When reviewing the history of the kaskara and...
When reviewing the history of the kaskara and swords in Sudan, one must also turn towards Ethiopia. In Gondarine era paintings one can see relatively frequently swords that do look quite similar to...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
17th June 2025, 07:38 AM
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Replies: 6
Views: 9,841
Very nice sword.
Regarding the finds of the...
Very nice sword.
Regarding the finds of the article, they are not surprising. I believe many have been way too eager to identify any decent-looking blade in an African sword as European made,...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
14th June 2025, 08:33 AM
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Replies: 31
Views: 86,385
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
15th April 2025, 08:57 AM
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Replies: 4
Views: 22,822
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
10th April 2025, 02:44 PM
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Replies: 11
Views: 17,343
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
10th April 2025, 09:34 AM
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Replies: 11
Views: 17,343
Indeed a peculiar find. It does look West...
Indeed a peculiar find. It does look West African, and relatively modern.
As far as I know, the only ones in the region that appear historically in the sources using maces/clubs were a group of...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
1st April 2025, 07:48 PM
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Replies: 45
Views: 57,674
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
31st March 2025, 06:11 PM
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Replies: 45
Views: 57,674
I don't doubt they were used in combat. Thrusts...
I don't doubt they were used in combat. Thrusts could be problematic due to the risks of the hand sliding up the blade, but it is not an issue if you don't thrust with it and just use it to cut. A...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
24th February 2025, 03:09 PM
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Replies: 9
Views: 42,272
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
20th February 2025, 06:17 PM
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Replies: 7
Views: 42,508
Beautiful swords.
Can I ask how thick is it...
Beautiful swords.
Can I ask how thick is it near the tip? And those measurements for the bigger ones?
I would not discount their use in combat. Keep in mind that the Fang lived in an...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
2nd December 2024, 02:53 PM
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Replies: 4
Views: 9,129
Welcome!
The leatherwork on the scabbard has...
Welcome!
The leatherwork on the scabbard has a clear Mandinka style, and European-inspired guards like this one aren't too uncommon. A Mandinka origin is likely but not sure, and geographically...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
28th November 2024, 08:00 AM
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Replies: 9
Views: 18,761
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
27th November 2024, 06:49 PM
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Replies: 9
Views: 18,761
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
26th November 2024, 05:29 PM
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Replies: 9
Views: 18,761
Extremely interesting sword!
Does Bivar give...
Extremely interesting sword!
Does Bivar give any reason to adscribe it to Kanta Muhammad Kotal? Because one misconception I have seen around is treating Kanta as part of his name, when it is his...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
11th October 2024, 03:26 PM
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Replies: 27
Views: 103,021
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
28th September 2024, 05:36 PM
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Replies: 27
Views: 103,021
Not only there aren't distinct geographical...
Not only there aren't distinct geographical borders, but ethnical as well. These were used in a very wide area from the Atlantic coast by a wide range of ethnicities, from Mandinka to Wolof and...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
23rd September 2024, 02:09 PM
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Replies: 27
Views: 103,021
But much of it can certainly be verified, to a...
But much of it can certainly be verified, to a certain degree. There are a lot of precolonial and colonial drawings and photographies in which weapons are shown. Not all are reliable, and some should...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
20th September 2024, 06:22 PM
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Replies: 27
Views: 103,021
Those weapon figures in that book are mostly...
Those weapon figures in that book are mostly wrong. In Figure 8, most of those dagger are in a style usually associated with the Toubou, not the Hausa, and the dagger like yours is associated to the...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
19th September 2024, 11:59 AM
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Replies: 27
Views: 103,021
It is a frequent phenomenon. Many of the names...
It is a frequent phenomenon. Many of the names that stick really are just "sword" in the native language. Sometimes they can be useful, and other times they absolutely flatten the nuances that there...
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
29th May 2024, 07:20 AM
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Replies: 27
Views: 1,329,911
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Forum: Ethnographic Weapons
24th May 2024, 07:44 AM
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Replies: 6
Views: 22,319
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