OLD NGALA SWORD FOR COMMENT

Freddy · 24th February 2006, 05:57 PM

Hi Lew,

Nice piece. I got mine last week. Total length 27,2" (68 cm), length of blade 20,4" (51 cm). The handle has iron binding and also some copper binding.

These 'executioner's swords' all look alike, but perhaps by comparing the pictures of both swords, we can notice some differences. I think mine has a more slender blade.

There's a huge variation of this type of sword. A very good (and complete) book is :

EXECUTION KNIVES & DERIVATIVES (Tribal Arms Monographs Vol 1/N°2)
by Christian Gosseau
Published by Tribal Arts/Brussels in 1997

I checked the book and the author says that our swords were used by the following tribes : Ngombe, Doko, Western Mongo.
Indigenous names : Ngulu, Ngolo, Ngwolo, M'Bolo, Gulu, Ntsaka
He also writes that the function of these swords changed from weapon to parade and dance knife.

24th February 2006, 05:57 PM	#3
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Nice Hi Lew, Nice piece. I got mine last week. Total length 27,2" (68 cm), length of blade 20,4" (51 cm). The handle has iron binding and also some copper binding. These 'executioner's swords' all look alike, but perhaps by comparing the pictures of both swords, we can notice some differences. I think mine has a more slender blade. There's a huge variation of this type of sword. A very good (and complete) book is : EXECUTION KNIVES & DERIVATIVES (Tribal Arms Monographs Vol 1/N°2) by Christian Gosseau Published by Tribal Arts/Brussels in 1997 I checked the book and the author says that our swords were used by the following tribes : Ngombe, Doko, Western Mongo. Indigenous names : Ngulu, Ngolo, Ngwolo, M'Bolo, Gulu, Ntsaka He also writes that the function of these swords changed from weapon to parade and dance knife.