Blade origin of Manding sword?

blue lander · 27th March 2014, 07:22 PM

You know, when I first saw a Manding cylindrical hilt I assume it was shaped that way for practical reasons rather than stylistic ones. Like, if you took a stick tang sword and wrapped leather around it to make a hilt, that's the shape you'd end up with.

My other "scrap metal" Manding sword has a very different hilt construction. The tang is almost the full width of the blade. The end of the tang was folded back on top of itself to create a pommel. A leather cap covers it, but it's easily removed. I've seen quite a few similar swords go up for auction and they all appear to have a similar construction. The scabbards terminate in a tip like a European scabbard rather than the usual Manding style. The scabbards always feature woven multicolor leather. The blades are always blackened and extremely crude. The hilt is sometimes circular or sometimes dog bone shape, but there's never any metal furniture to it. Are these modern Manding swords made in a simpler style by less skilled artisans, or tourist pieces, or what?

Jim McDougall · 27th March 2014, 11:20 PM

That hilt strongly reminds me of the Sierra Leone swords I mentioned, which of course would not have been confined to that region but as always collectors have to put some kind of label on it. It is known that European type sabres have been in use throughout West Africa into modern times, so seeing these type of chape sleeves is not surprising .

What you are saying is systematically correct, fashioning a grip or hilt that is serviceable is a simple affair, so a rounded handle would serve well. It is of course understandable that a weapon being at least somewhat a status item one would not want just a crude lump of wood, so design and decoration would be employed accordingly .

I tend to dislike the cavalier description of 'tourist' item for ethnographic weapons at large as in many, possibly even most cases, these weapons are used in at least some degree as traditional accoutrements among tribal peoples. I think these somewhat crudely fashioned items fall into that traditional category, while the touristy items are obviously too fragile and focused on bling for combat or actual use. In many of these regions, edged weapons (often collectively termed machetes by journalists) are indeed still used.

blue lander · 28th March 2014, 04:24 AM

I'll have to read up more on Sierra Leone and its swords. I've attached a picture of the rolled up end of the tang, which I thought was pretty clever. I've always wondered what the pattern on the fabric is from. It looks like it used to be covered in black leather so it wasn't mean to be seen.

Jim McDougall · 28th March 2014, 05:28 AM

Good question on that, and delving into those topics is yet another dimension in the study of these weapons. I would suggest good references on African crafts and textiles with focus on West Africa. These patterns often contain important tribal symbolism and even colors have key meanings in many cases.
A great book which deals a lot in the symbolisms in African material culture, though focused on jewelry, is "Africa Adorned" by Angela Fisher. It is a huge volume but fantastically photographed and lots of fascinating detail on tribes and their traditional styles and effects .

blue lander · 28th March 2014, 07:54 PM

According to this site , there's a tradition of printed fabrics in Africa.

African print fabrics come from a batik tradition and were imported from Indonesia starting in the colonial period. On some piece there are still tags that reference "wax-resist" and/or "Java." Depending upon where you are on the continent this cloth can be referred to as lappa (Liberia, Sierra Leone), wrappa, pagne (Francophone West Africa), kanga (East Africa)

This site has several African prints that look somewhat similar to what's on this hilt.

27th March 2014, 07:22 PM	#1
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	You know, when I first saw a Manding cylindrical hilt I assume it was shaped that way for practical reasons rather than stylistic ones. Like, if you took a stick tang sword and wrapped leather around it to make a hilt, that's the shape you'd end up with. My other "scrap metal" Manding sword has a very different hilt construction. The tang is almost the full width of the blade. The end of the tang was folded back on top of itself to create a pommel. A leather cap covers it, but it's easily removed. I've seen quite a few similar swords go up for auction and they all appear to have a similar construction. The scabbards terminate in a tip like a European scabbard rather than the usual Manding style. The scabbards always feature woven multicolor leather. The blades are always blackened and extremely crude. The hilt is sometimes circular or sometimes dog bone shape, but there's never any metal furniture to it. Are these modern Manding swords made in a simpler style by less skilled artisans, or tourist pieces, or what? Attached Images

28th March 2014, 04:24 AM	#3
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	I'll have to read up more on Sierra Leone and its swords. I've attached a picture of the rolled up end of the tang, which I thought was pretty clever. I've always wondered what the pattern on the fabric is from. It looks like it used to be covered in black leather so it wasn't mean to be seen. Attached Images

27th March 2014, 11:20 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	That hilt strongly reminds me of the Sierra Leone swords I mentioned, which of course would not have been confined to that region but as always collectors have to put some kind of label on it. It is known that European type sabres have been in use throughout West Africa into modern times, so seeing these type of chape sleeves is not surprising . What you are saying is systematically correct, fashioning a grip or hilt that is serviceable is a simple affair, so a rounded handle would serve well. It is of course understandable that a weapon being at least somewhat a status item one would not want just a crude lump of wood, so design and decoration would be employed accordingly . I tend to dislike the cavalier description of 'tourist' item for ethnographic weapons at large as in many, possibly even most cases, these weapons are used in at least some degree as traditional accoutrements among tribal peoples. I think these somewhat crudely fashioned items fall into that traditional category, while the touristy items are obviously too fragile and focused on bling for combat or actual use. In many of these regions, edged weapons (often collectively termed machetes by journalists) are indeed still used.

28th March 2014, 05:28 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	Good question on that, and delving into those topics is yet another dimension in the study of these weapons. I would suggest good references on African crafts and textiles with focus on West Africa. These patterns often contain important tribal symbolism and even colors have key meanings in many cases. A great book which deals a lot in the symbolisms in African material culture, though focused on jewelry, is "Africa Adorned" by Angela Fisher. It is a huge volume but fantastically photographed and lots of fascinating detail on tribes and their traditional styles and effects .

28th March 2014, 07:54 PM	#5
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	According to this site , there's a tradition of printed fabrics in Africa. African print fabrics come from a batik tradition and were imported from Indonesia starting in the colonial period. On some piece there are still tags that reference "wax-resist" and/or "Java." Depending upon where you are on the continent this cloth can be referred to as lappa (Liberia, Sierra Leone), wrappa, pagne (Francophone West Africa), kanga (East Africa) This site has several African prints that look somewhat similar to what's on this hilt.