Central African throwing sick/club?

Freddy · 27th October 2006, 10:51 AM

As I already told Tim, I think this club is more a dance club. In my opinion from the Lobi people in Burkina Faso (or perhaps a neighbouring tribe).

It could, of course, also be used as a weapon. I think it's heavy enough for that purpose.

I don't think it's a throwing club, though.

As to throwing clubs, I want to show one I have for quite some time. I don't know where it comes from. I think it's a throwing club, but I'm not sure.
Anyway, it has a peculiar form.

Length is 78,5 cm, weight : 300 grs.

Tim Simmons · 27th October 2006, 05:53 PM

Thank you Freddy for coming in to the thread with your valued opinion. I was happy with the dance club designation. But now I have it in my hands and had more time to study it, I am not so sure. The curve carved on one side as in a wing is so frequently seen on boomerangs/throwing woods the world wide. This curved surface has been carefully created. Judder marks are visible on the curve where a blade has been drawn across to shave the surface. They are not file marks, they are absent on the flat side. The curved side is the left hand side of the picture which unfortunately does not show this very well. I would not rule out a dance club. This is just my observation, as a throwing stick it could come from many areas.

Tim Simmons · 29th October 2006, 04:57 PM

This stick is curved on one side and flat on the over also Freddy's stick not too dissimilar.
http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/de...884.12.8_c.jpg

Tim Simmons · 1st November 2006, 07:00 AM

I just realised there is this example in Waffen aus Zentral-Afrika, Museum fur Volkerkunde. From the Fali N,E Congo. Quite when a dance stick becomes a club is anyone's guess. I do not know if this club has any throwing properties. The use of a club in dance would be a good method of training basic moves. Many training systems involve synchronized repeated set moves.

Tim Simmons · 22nd November 2006, 09:54 PM

Freddy, perhaps this is a hunting stick from around Mali and other western Sahel areas. I am just not at all sure about the dance stick, it is too functional in finish for me. Also the tip damage gives me the impression it has been thrown or used with some determination.

Tim Simmons · 17th January 2007, 05:38 PM

I got this picture from the Pitt Rivers googling Dinka Artifacts. It is a thumb nail that I have resized. What has happened to this resource of the Pitt Rivers? I can no longer access it apart from thumb nails on google images. Is this the same with everbody? Dance club.

Tim Simmons · 18th January 2007, 06:38 PM

Is anybody else having difficulty with this Pitt Rivers site?

27th October 2006, 10:51 AM	#1
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Dance club ? As I already told Tim, I think this club is more a dance club. In my opinion from the Lobi people in Burkina Faso (or perhaps a neighbouring tribe). It could, of course, also be used as a weapon. I think it's heavy enough for that purpose. I don't think it's a throwing club, though. As to throwing clubs, I want to show one I have for quite some time. I don't know where it comes from. I think it's a throwing club, but I'm not sure. Anyway, it has a peculiar form. Length is 78,5 cm, weight : 300 grs.

1st November 2006, 07:00 AM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	bit more like it I just realised there is this example in Waffen aus Zentral-Afrika, Museum fur Volkerkunde. From the Fali N,E Congo. Quite when a dance stick becomes a club is anyone's guess. I do not know if this club has any throwing properties. The use of a club in dance would be a good method of training basic moves. Many training systems involve synchronized repeated set moves.

17th January 2007, 05:38 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Southern Soudan project Pitt Rivers I got this picture from the Pitt Rivers googling Dinka Artifacts. It is a thumb nail that I have resized. What has happened to this resource of the Pitt Rivers? I can no longer access it apart from thumb nails on google images. Is this the same with everbody? Dance club. Attached Images

18th January 2007, 06:38 PM	#7
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Soudan project Is anybody else having difficulty with this Pitt Rivers site?

27th October 2006, 05:53 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Thank you Freddy for coming in to the thread with your valued opinion. I was happy with the dance club designation. But now I have it in my hands and had more time to study it, I am not so sure. The curve carved on one side as in a wing is so frequently seen on boomerangs/throwing woods the world wide. This curved surface has been carefully created. Judder marks are visible on the curve where a blade has been drawn across to shave the surface. They are not file marks, they are absent on the flat side. The curved side is the left hand side of the picture which unfortunately does not show this very well. I would not rule out a dance club. This is just my observation, as a throwing stick it could come from many areas.

29th October 2006, 04:57 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	This stick is curved on one side and flat on the over also Freddy's stick not too dissimilar. http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/de...884.12.8_c.jpg

22nd November 2006, 09:54 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Freddy, perhaps this is a hunting stick from around Mali and other western Sahel areas. I am just not at all sure about the dance stick, it is too functional in finish for me. Also the tip damage gives me the impression it has been thrown or used with some determination.