A few pictures from the Sudan National Museum

[Martin Lubojacky]

There is a lot of interesting artefacts, but only a few "cold weapons" (the long sword and the helmet are from 19th century, the rest is from the ancient Sudan)
Regards
Martin

[Iain]

Thanks for sharing, that Tebu blade is extremely nice.

[Martin Lubojacky]

Yeas. Unfortunately there was written nothing about this Tebu sword. But the blade was more than 1 m long and seemed very heavy

[VANDOO]

SOME INTERESTING FORMS OF BRONZE WEAPONS SOME I HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE. IS THE TEBU BRONZE OR STEEL? BRONZE AGE WEAPONS HAVE NOT BEEN COVERED VERY WELL IN THE FORUMS SO THERE IS STILL A LOT TO SEE IN THE CATEGORY. THE SMALL KNIFE WITH THE SPIKE IS INTERESTING I WONDER WHAT IT WAS USED FOR. THANKS FOR POSTING THESE.

[Iain]

The Tebu item should be iron/steel I think. I have something a bit similar from Cameroon.

Wolf also has a great one on his site: http://www.africanarms.com/all-albums/!/oa/6644101-90574702/

[Edster]

Martin/Iain,

The attached Tebu sword was purchased in Kartoum in 1986 and is "almost as new". While the grip is classic Tebu design, the blade reflects a different style: shorter, pointed and without the central rib. The blade is fairly thick and the piece is well balanced. Unfortunately, it now has a cut near the point that could reflect not the best heat treat. Maybe just a be "tourist piece" although there wasn't much of a tourist trade at the time. Never saw anyone carrying one so can't tell if it was made for the local market as well.

Regards,
Ed

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Edster

Martin/Iain,

The attached Tebu sword was purchased in Kartoum in 1986 and is "almost as new". While the grip is classic Tebu design, the blade reflects a different style: shorter, pointed and without the central rib. The blade is fairly thick and the piece is well balanced. Unfortunately, it now has a cut near the point that could reflect not the best heat treat. Maybe just a be "tourist piece" although there wasn't much of a tourist trade at the time. Never saw anyone carrying one so can't tell if it was made for the local market as well.

Regards,
Ed

Good to see you posting Ed. I've seen this basic style on various auctions over the last few years. My impression was that the vintage was much the same as your collection date. Anywhere from the 1970s on. Most had these fairly flat profile blades without the dramatic midrib. I would guess it's a fairly authentic style, as you say, not much tourism around at the time. I'll dig up a few older pieces from my photo archive for comparison.

[Iain]

Here's a few from the musee du quai Branly.

[Gavin Nugent]

Limited cold weapons maybe Martin but those bronze weapons are to die for...so very rarely are any encountered with anything other than just the blades.

Thank you for sharing!

Gavin

[Martin Lubojacky]

Hi Gavin,
I have never seen so relatively well preserved relics of handle made of organic material and cca 3600 years old, before. And it is interesting to see fashion of handles of that time and place.
Iain and Ed, thank you for sharing the photos, too.
As far as carrying short swords, my observation from Nigeria a few years ago was, that Fulani herdsmen always used to carry modern machete made of simple flat steel, despite the fact, that it was possible to find not very old, but also not very new Hausa daggers and Takoubas and weapons with "Tebu pommels" in nearest "touristic" areas (e.g.hotel shops). Nevertheless this modern machtes usually were accomodated in nice sheaths made of fine and nicely toolled leather. Occasionally the wooden handle was wrapped with rubber (probably from tube). Also some another local people used to wear this weapon - but to my surprise under the bubu (kaftan). Now I am sorry that I did not bring one - I considered it ordinary that time .... Such weapon was not as heavy as "normal sword" would be, I think, and still - it was hefty. Frankly, I did not see villagers to wear any other weapon (except of festival occassions).
Regards,
Martin