Interesting African Axe.

Lew · 13th April 2007, 10:07 PM

Flavio

This looks like a stabbing type axe to me and seems to be more of a real fighting axe than ceremonial one. I checked Artzi's website and there are similar ones listed as Zulu/Tsonga.

Lew

Tim Simmons · 13th April 2007, 10:18 PM

That was a super buy. I was watching but got distracted. I am thinking that to say these pieces are this or that is really almost impossible in today's world. It is a fine example of the sort of axe that was in common usage in the S.E Africa and that would include a great many tribes. I think it is from further north than Zulu and I would put it in the early 20th century. A nice piece I am glad for you that I forgot about it. Might not be so easy next time big boy

Lew · 13th April 2007, 10:40 PM

[QUOTE=Tim Simmons]That was a super buy. I was watching but got distracted.

Tim

You fell victim to my Jedi mind control trick

Tim Simmons · 14th April 2007, 09:00 AM

The farce

katana · 14th April 2007, 05:43 PM

Hi Lew,
congrats looks to be a fantastic functional axe. I have to agree with the view that this is not Zulu......many 'Zulu' axes seem to be Shona...whether these were gifts or war trophies seem unclear. I have found no reference to the use of an axe in battle...during the Zulu wars. However, I am wondering whether pre-Shaka (and the use of the 'shortened' spear) ...this type of weapon (an axe such as yours) may have been used instead, as a 'medium/short range' weapon.

Lew · 21st April 2007, 09:16 PM

Hi All

The axe arrived today. I had to straighten the tip back to true and clean it lightly with 0000 steel wool to get some white paint splatters off. A small amount of polish and here it is.

The blade was a bit rusty so some steel wool a WD-40 cleaned it up nice without messing up the patina on the blade.

Lew

Flavio · 21st April 2007, 10:00 PM

Congratulations Lew, the patination on the handle is simply great!!!!!

Flavio · 13th April 2007, 10:27 PM

Lew

sure this is a "real" weapon and also on his book Spring says that were used for stabbing and for slashing, but on books they are attributed to the Tsonga-Venda (border line between South Africa and Mozanbico). From what I know all the axe that I have seen attributed to the zulu are shona, venda etc. The explanation could be that when the zulu had englobed other people in their reign (but to be honest I don't know if also the Venda and the tsonga were englobed) they also had started to used the axes as weapons...

... just a guess....

13th April 2007, 10:40 PM	#3
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	[QUOTE=Tim Simmons]That was a super buy. I was watching but got distracted. Tim You fell victim to my Jedi mind control trick Attached Images

21st April 2007, 09:16 PM	#6
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Hi All The axe arrived today. I had to straighten the tip back to true and clean it lightly with 0000 steel wool to get some white paint splatters off. A small amount of polish and here it is. The blade was a bit rusty so some steel wool a WD-40 cleaned it up nice without messing up the patina on the blade. Lew Attached Images

13th April 2007, 10:07 PM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Flavio This looks like a stabbing type axe to me and seems to be more of a real fighting axe than ceremonial one. I checked Artzi's website and there are similar ones listed as Zulu/Tsonga. Lew

13th April 2007, 10:18 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	That was a super buy. I was watching but got distracted. I am thinking that to say these pieces are this or that is really almost impossible in today's world. It is a fine example of the sort of axe that was in common usage in the S.E Africa and that would include a great many tribes. I think it is from further north than Zulu and I would put it in the early 20th century. A nice piece I am glad for you that I forgot about it. Might not be so easy next time big boy

14th April 2007, 09:00 AM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	The farce

14th April 2007, 05:43 PM	#5
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Hi Lew, congrats looks to be a fantastic functional axe. I have to agree with the view that this is not Zulu......many 'Zulu' axes seem to be Shona...whether these were gifts or war trophies seem unclear. I have found no reference to the use of an axe in battle...during the Zulu wars. However, I am wondering whether pre-Shaka (and the use of the 'shortened' spear) ...this type of weapon (an axe such as yours) may have been used instead, as a 'medium/short range' weapon.

21st April 2007, 10:00 PM	#7
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Congratulations Lew, the patination on the handle is simply great!!!!!

13th April 2007, 10:27 PM	#8
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Lew sure this is a "real" weapon and also on his book Spring says that were used for stabbing and for slashing, but on books they are attributed to the Tsonga-Venda (border line between South Africa and Mozanbico). From what I know all the axe that I have seen attributed to the zulu are shona, venda etc. The explanation could be that when the zulu had englobed other people in their reign (but to be honest I don't know if also the Venda and the tsonga were englobed) they also had started to used the axes as weapons... ... just a guess....