Congo and other African swords

Timo Nieminen · 15th December 2015, 08:59 AM

Photographed and measured some African swords today. Mostly from the Congo basin. Here they are:

1. Ngombe/Ngbandi. Sickle sword. Double-edged, offset fullers (which you could think of as a Z-shaped cross-section). Blade is thin, about 4mm at the base, and 2.5mm at the bend. POB is 5.5" from the end of the grip. The grip is wrapped in copper wire. 575g.

2. Yakoma? (Ngombe?) Offset fullers, with 2 pairs of inlaid brass dots (I think they go all the way through the blade, rather than separate inlays on both sides). 5mm thick at the end of the ricasso, which is the thickest part of the blade, and 3.5mm thick at the pair of brass dots near the tip. POB 6.5", 630g. Wooden hilt.

3. Poto? (Doko? Ngombe?) Offset fullers; flip this over and it looks the same on the other side (the symmetric offset fullered blades generally do). 2.6mm ricasso, 2.5mm thick near the tip. POB at 5", 460g. Copper-wrapped grip.

4. Luba (southern Congo basin, Katanga). 6.8mm at the ricasso, 3.3mm thick at the broadest part of the blade. POB at 4", 445g. Hollow-ground (really, hollow-forged) diamond-hex-diamond section along the blade. Wooden hilt.

5. Unidentified, supposedly Nigerian. Probably a ritual object, rather than a fighting sword. All iron/steel. Diamond-section blade, 4.5mm thick at the base, 4mm thick near the tip. POB at 3", 360g.

6. Ngombe/Ngbandi. Another sickle sword - this time with a flared tip. 3mm thick at the base, transitioning smoothly to 3.5mm at the base of the flare, and about that thick for most of the flared tip. Fuller on one side, and the other side is almost flat (with a convex transition to the edge; the edge is in the middle, not on the flat side), so an approximately fullered triangular cross-section. POB at 10", 580g. Grip was possibly originally copper-wrapped (now it is bare wood).

7. Maasai/Masai seme. Hollow-ground (hollow-forged) diamond section, 5.9mm at the base, and 5.5mm thick at the widest point near the tip. POB is at 6", the sword only is 500g, and 665g with the scabbard. As usual, the grip is rawhide, and the scabbard is thin wood covered in thin rawhide.

Suggestions for improved/corrected identifications, and other further info appreciated!

Iain · 15th December 2015, 09:43 AM

#5 should be from the Chamba or closely located group in the Chamba basin/Cameroon border region.

These short swords can have either curved or straight blades.

I'd like to see more images of it and dimensions like overall length, blade length etc.

Timo Nieminen · 15th December 2015, 10:31 AM

Didn't give lengths, since the photos have a tape measure. Total length just over 20", blade about 16". Hilt is pretty small.

I'll see if I can take more photos on the weekend.

OK, I managed to find my notes on this sword, including the seller's description:

Quote:

GREAT HAND SMITHED IRON SHORT SWORD - CHAMBA TRIBE
from North East Nigeria, Benue Area, Chamba Tribe.

FIELD COLLECTED in the 1980ies by an Austrian Couple, which travelled over 25 to 30 years in the Nigeria Benue-North Cameroon-Chad Border Area. They visited a lot of smaller tribes such as Chamba, Mambila, Koma Gembe, Mumuye, Mambila, Vere, Longuda, Kapsiki, Kirdi, Chadic Ethnic Groups and many others. They collected a lot of every day items, ritual implements, jewelry, weapons, pottery, sculpture and more. This GREAT IRON SWORD originally was used by Tribal Chamba Population as a weapon as well as a sign of prestige. This Great Item consists of hand smithed iron and shows a great aesthetic shape with knot shaped handle and well forged short blade.

Magic search words like "Chamba" really help!

Iain · 15th December 2015, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timo Nieminen

Didn't give lengths, since the photos have a tape measure. Total length just over 20", blade about 16". Hilt is pretty small.

I'll see if I can take more photos on the weekend.

OK, I managed to find my notes on this sword, including the seller's description:

Magic search words like "Chamba" really help!

Shows how much I needed a coffee this morning when I read your post!

Looks like yours came from the same source as one I used to own.

15th December 2015, 08:59 AM	#1
Timo Nieminen Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 422	Congo and other African swords Photographed and measured some African swords today. Mostly from the Congo basin. Here they are: 1. Ngombe/Ngbandi. Sickle sword. Double-edged, offset fullers (which you could think of as a Z-shaped cross-section). Blade is thin, about 4mm at the base, and 2.5mm at the bend. POB is 5.5" from the end of the grip. The grip is wrapped in copper wire. 575g. 2. Yakoma? (Ngombe?) Offset fullers, with 2 pairs of inlaid brass dots (I think they go all the way through the blade, rather than separate inlays on both sides). 5mm thick at the end of the ricasso, which is the thickest part of the blade, and 3.5mm thick at the pair of brass dots near the tip. POB 6.5", 630g. Wooden hilt. 3. Poto? (Doko? Ngombe?) Offset fullers; flip this over and it looks the same on the other side (the symmetric offset fullered blades generally do). 2.6mm ricasso, 2.5mm thick near the tip. POB at 5", 460g. Copper-wrapped grip. 4. Luba (southern Congo basin, Katanga). 6.8mm at the ricasso, 3.3mm thick at the broadest part of the blade. POB at 4", 445g. Hollow-ground (really, hollow-forged) diamond-hex-diamond section along the blade. Wooden hilt. 5. Unidentified, supposedly Nigerian. Probably a ritual object, rather than a fighting sword. All iron/steel. Diamond-section blade, 4.5mm thick at the base, 4mm thick near the tip. POB at 3", 360g. 6. Ngombe/Ngbandi. Another sickle sword - this time with a flared tip. 3mm thick at the base, transitioning smoothly to 3.5mm at the base of the flare, and about that thick for most of the flared tip. Fuller on one side, and the other side is almost flat (with a convex transition to the edge; the edge is in the middle, not on the flat side), so an approximately fullered triangular cross-section. POB at 10", 580g. Grip was possibly originally copper-wrapped (now it is bare wood). 7. Maasai/Masai seme. Hollow-ground (hollow-forged) diamond section, 5.9mm at the base, and 5.5mm thick at the widest point near the tip. POB is at 6", the sword only is 500g, and 665g with the scabbard. As usual, the grip is rawhide, and the scabbard is thin wood covered in thin rawhide. Suggestions for improved/corrected identifications, and other further info appreciated! Attached Images

15th December 2015, 09:43 AM	#2
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,693	#5 should be from the Chamba or closely located group in the Chamba basin/Cameroon border region. These short swords can have either curved or straight blades. I'd like to see more images of it and dimensions like overall length, blade length etc. Last edited by Iain; 15th December 2015 at 09:59 AM.