I NEED HELP

Flavio · 2nd June 2005, 12:04 AM

Hello, this is my last purchase. On the blade there is a a kind of sun near the handle and on the half of the blade a simple circle. I think that is Manding or west Africa in general. Any comment is welcome Length 54.5 cm width 5.5 cm

ariel · 2nd June 2005, 05:01 AM

Looks Sudani/Somalese to me.

tom hyle · 2nd June 2005, 02:48 PM

In the flattened cone shape of the grip I can see what you mean.....I suspect the handle was originally covered with leather. I don't know why this leaps to my mind with this particular piece. The narrow pinky grabber is unusual, no? The offset grooves do not seem like E African swords? More like Congo region/central/West Africa? Afrasians and E coast Africans seem to prefer symetrically grooved/midribbed blades?

tom hyle · 2nd June 2005, 02:52 PM

What thoughts about the two bands where a belt or belts or something attached to the sheath? I can see the relation to takouba and to Manding swords there.......but would this be worn like a longsword? Manding might be a good guess; I can see where one might lean toward the area of division between Berber and Bantu......unorganized morning thoughts.....

Flavio · 3rd June 2005, 11:26 AM

Hello Tom.
I don't think that the handle in orgin was covered with leather: the patination on it is very deep and dark and i think that a kind of color can create only with many many years. I know that normally the Manding sword are the handle wrapped with leather, but this could be a poor version.
About the two bands where a belt could be attached, i think that are only for decoration, because on the other side of the scabbard there is already a broken belt.
The decoration on the scabbard, like the material used, is quite tipical of the west Africa and all the sudanese region, maybe also Tuareg.

2nd June 2005, 12:04 AM	#1
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	I NEED HELP Hello, this is my last purchase. On the blade there is a a kind of sun near the handle and on the half of the blade a simple circle. I think that is Manding or west Africa in general. Any comment is welcome Length 54.5 cm width 5.5 cm Attached Images

2nd June 2005, 05:01 AM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Looks Sudani/Somalese to me.

2nd June 2005, 02:48 PM	#3
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	In the flattened cone shape of the grip I can see what you mean.....I suspect the handle was originally covered with leather. I don't know why this leaps to my mind with this particular piece. The narrow pinky grabber is unusual, no? The offset grooves do not seem like E African swords? More like Congo region/central/West Africa? Afrasians and E coast Africans seem to prefer symetrically grooved/midribbed blades?

2nd June 2005, 02:52 PM	#4
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	What thoughts about the two bands where a belt or belts or something attached to the sheath? I can see the relation to takouba and to Manding swords there.......but would this be worn like a longsword? Manding might be a good guess; I can see where one might lean toward the area of division between Berber and Bantu......unorganized morning thoughts.....

3rd June 2005, 11:26 AM	#5
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello Tom. I don't think that the handle in orgin was covered with leather: the patination on it is very deep and dark and i think that a kind of color can create only with many many years. I know that normally the Manding sword are the handle wrapped with leather, but this could be a poor version. About the two bands where a belt could be attached, i think that are only for decoration, because on the other side of the scabbard there is already a broken belt. The decoration on the scabbard, like the material used, is quite tipical of the west Africa and all the sudanese region, maybe also Tuareg.