African Throwing Knife

[Miguel]

Hi Everyone,
I would be very grateful if you could pin point the area and People who made this type of knife. I have found the information available from my own reference books to be confusing on makers and usage of the design of knife that I have. I have only found three images on the net, two of which are almost the same in form and decoration the third similar in form and decoration but not having a top centre blade. My research makes me favour Darfur and the Masalit people whose Smiths made their knives from scrap metal for ceremonial and for selling to travellers. The age for the similar weapons that I turned up on the internet from The Mathers Museum of Culture, The Higgins Collection and The Virtual Armory was 1800 which if mine is the same I find hard to believe. The dimensions of my knife are 19 ins overall with a 4.5 ins long leather or hide bound handle the span of the blades is about 7 ins. Thanking you in anticipation.
\regards
Migue

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

A number of sources abound...I went straight to this one at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Throwing_knife depicting a display...A selection of African throwing knives in the British Museum....in room 25 pictured below.

See also http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenh...currencies.htm

Go to http://www.ezakwantu.com/Throwing%20...l%20Africa.jpg where there is a map showing the region such weapons were used in...and there is a peculiar shape similar to yours(the only 5 blade on the map) at 31degrees East ....17degrees North. Just above the last letter N of Sudan Just West from Khartoum !!

In conclusion I am not sure about your weapons credentials...Is it a throwing knife or a ceremonial item? I have seen many 1, 2 and 3 bladed weapons and several 4 bladed weapons but not a 5 blade...except above.

I have never seen a dotted blade of this type although it is the style of Talismanic dots seen on other items and artefacts ...geometric shapes and devils...therefor it could be genuine.

Having said that it is not exactly my field so I step aside to allow in anyone who can throw light on this blade style. As a further assist here is an alphabetical list of all things African in this regard; I have checked all the iron currency items and throwing knives and can find no parallel ... http://www.hamillgallery.com/SITE/Li...sbyObject.html

Finally I place this web page for information on currency iron work... Hoe Currency http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/site/blades.htm

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ian]

Miguel:

This is not my field at all. However, your knife does seem very unusual. Ibrahiim has checked out the readily identified sites online, as you probably have, and come up with nothing definitive. These throwing/currency/ritual knives are fascinating. Perhaps the unusual decoration is likely to provide an answer to your question rather than the shape of the blade(s).

There are a few people here with African expertise and someone will likely be able to help you shortly.

Ian.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

A number of sources abound...I went straight to this one at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Throwing_knife depicting a display...A selection of African throwing knives in the British Museum....in room 25 pictured below.

See also http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/nieuwenh...currencies.htm

Go to http://www.ezakwantu.com/Throwing%20...l%20Africa.jpg where there is a map showing the region such weapons were used in...and there is a peculiar shape similar to yours(the only 5 blade on the map) at 31degrees East ....17degrees North. Just above the last letter N of Sudan

In conclusion I am not sure about your weapons credentials...Is it a throwing knife or a ceremonial item? I have seen many 1, 2 and 3 bladed weapons and several 4 bladed weapons but not a 5 blade...except above.

I have never seen a dotted blade of this type although it is the style of Talismanic dots seen on other items and artefacts ...geometric shapes and devils...therefor it could be genuine.

Having said that it is not exactly my field so I step aside to allow in anyone who can throw light on this blade style. As a further assist here is an alphabetical list of all things African in this regard; I have checked all the iron currency items and throwing knives and can find no parallel ... http://www.hamillgallery.com/SITE/Li...sbyObject.html

Finally I place this web page for information on currency iron work... Hoe Currency http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/site/blades.htm

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

hi Ibrahiim
many thanks for your help. I had already exhausted the websites before I posted and as I said I only found 3 images having the same design and decoration as mine.
,miguel

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Ian

Miguel:

This is not my field at all. However, your knife does seem very unusual. Ibrahiim has checked out the readily identified sites online, as you probably have, and come up with nothing definitive. These throwing/currency/ritual knives are fascinating. Perhaps the unusual decoration is likely to provide an answer to your question rather than the shape of the blade(s).

There are a few people here with African expertise and someone will likely be able to help you shortly.

Ian.

Ian
Thanks for your comments you may be right with regard to the decoration being the key to identification. There seems to be a wealth of information available on some forms of these weapons but very little on the one I have. I find them fascinating also and really hope that one or more of our Members more knowledgable than me about these things can shed more light on its origin and use.
Miguel

[Jim McDougall]

Miguel, I think you have done some great research on this most interesting piece, and would suggest you are most likely in the right neck of the woods on this. It seems of course that Chris Spring ("African Arms and Armour") has compiled some very well considered material on these and the throwing knife in general, as you have found.

Most of the general references on African arms have various assemblages of the variations of these type weapons, but in going through those I found no exact matches either. It does seem that for the most part, the later versions of these are for ceremonial and processional purposes. I think you are right in presuming this example to be well into the 20th c

I did find a Pitt Rivers museum entry online which illustrates a throwing knife loosely of this type arrangement and it is describes as a "Zungan Dowi' (='cocks tail') which is early 20th c. and of the Masalit/Fur people of Darfur (#1954.5.74). Apparantly this was collected by the well known historian of the Sudan, A.J.Arkell in 1934-36.
This particular form (with only a side mount arm, not multiple) is noted as of 'F' shape (Westerdijk, type 7).

What is key on the Pitt Rivers example is there is some geometric design with dots and connecting lines on the blade. While not nearly as complex it would seem the style of the motif may be of a favored style and possibly symbolically connected in some degree. It is always hard to say whether this kind of motif has significance or is simply decoratively applied.

These seem to have been earlier (c. 1870s) carried by the 'samballang' (throwing knife men) of the Sultan as regalia in procession on way to hunt. Later they became a status symbol and badge of Koranic scholars (fiki).
There were a number of other social and rite of passage oriented circumstances in which these were used as well.

The online data Ibrahiim has added provides interesting detail for these kinds of weapons overall, though as I note, I think the Masalit connection is most compelling.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Miguel, I think you have done some great research on this most interesting piece, and would suggest you are most likely in the right neck of the woods on this. It seems of course that Chris Spring ("African Arms and Armour") has compiled some very well considered material on these and the throwing knife in general, as you have found.

Most of the general references on African arms have various assemblages of the variations of these type weapons, but in going through those I found no exact matches either. It does seem that for the most part, the later versions of these are for ceremonial and processional purposes. I think you are right in presuming this example to be well into the 20th c

I did find a Pitt Rivers museum entry online which illustrates a throwing knife loosely of this type arrangement and it is describes as a "Zungan Dowi' (='cocks tail') which is early 20th c. and of the Masalit/Fur people of Darfur (#1954.5.74). Apparantly this was collected by the well known historian of the Sudan, A.J.Arkell in 1934-36.
This particular form (with only a side mount arm, not multiple) is noted as of 'F' shape (Westerdijk, type 7).

What is key on the Pitt Rivers example is there is some geometric design with dots and connecting lines on the blade. While not nearly as complex it would seem the style of the motif may be of a favored style and possibly symbolically connected in some degree. It is always hard to say whether this kind of motif has significance or is simply decoratively applied.

These seem to have been earlier (c. 1870s) carried by the 'samballang' (throwing knife men) of the Sultan as regalia in procession on way to hunt. Later they became a status symbol and badge of Koranic scholars (fiki).
There were a number of other social and rite of passage oriented circumstances in which these were used as well.

The online data Ibrahiim has added provides interesting detail for these kinds of weapons overall, though as I note, I think the Masalit connection is most compelling.

Hi Jim,
Thanks for your most informative reply, I had not seen the Pitt Rivers example before, most interesting. What really intrigues me is the fact that I have only found two close examples of my piece with almost identical decoration, not of which I have found in books so it looks like I will have to keep searching to try and pin point it more accurately. Thanks again for your input.
Miguel

[Jim McDougall]

Hi Miguel,
I thank you for posting this example, and inspiring me to learn more on these!
I should point out that finding an exact match is often futility in these kinds of ethnographic weapons. While many of these were indeed for use, only limited numbers were actually used as projectiles in certain instances, but I am not yet clear on these stipulations. I think Chris Spring did the best job of detailing much of this.

In most cases, there was a degree of 'latitude' in these weapons as far as the profile and elements of the blade shapes. In many, particularly those used in more 'ceremonial' situations, there can be a great deal of artistic license applied. Many of these were worn by young men in events where they tried to attract girls in potential courting etc and in cases where these served similarly as processional or bearing arms they would of course be understandably 'embellished'.

In most cases we can develop reasonably plausible estimations on the tribal or regional provenance by comparable decoration, styling, and often the grip materials and wrap etc. We then must keep in mind certain diffusion of these into contiguous groups.

I went through a good number of the most well known references and did not find any overly corresponding examples, but as always, research never really ends! nor does our learning

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Sudanese Throwing Knife.
This iron weapon comes from along the Sudanese Nile. It was possibly meant for ceremonial use, but is suspected to have been produced for sale to foreigners as an early form of the tourist trade. It has similar handle and dots etc. See https://www.flickr.com/photos/mather...um/15319145753

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Hi Miguel,
I thank you for posting this example, and inspiring me to learn more on these!
I should point out that finding an exact match is often futility in these kinds of ethnographic weapons. While many of these were indeed for use, only limited numbers were actually used as projectiles in certain instances, but I am not yet clear on these stipulations. I think Chris Spring did the best job of detailing much of this.

In most cases, there was a degree of 'latitude' in these weapons as far as the profile and elements of the blade shapes. In many, particularly those used in more 'ceremonial' situations, there can be a great deal of artistic license applied. Many of these were worn by young men in events where they tried to attract girls in potential courting etc and in cases where these served similarly as processional or bearing arms they would of course be understandably 'embellished'.

In most cases we can develop reasonably plausible estimations on the tribal or regional provenance by comparable decoration, styling, and often the grip materials and wrap etc. We then must keep in mind certain diffusion of these into contiguous groups.

I went through a good number of the most well known references and did not find any overly corresponding examples, but as always, research never really ends! nor does our learning

Hi Jim,
Thanks for your reply and would agree entirely with your comments. If you look at Abrahiims reply the link he has shown is the Mathers museum which shoes a knife of similar design and decoration which is one of the two that I found. As you say research never ends and I will continue to keep my eyes open fo further clues.
Regards
Miguel

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Sudanese Throwing Knife.
This iron weapon comes from along the Sudanese Nile. It was possibly meant for ceremonial use, but is suspected to have been produced for sale to foreigners as an early form of the tourist trade. It has similar handle and dots etc. See https://www.flickr.com/photos/mather...um/15319145753

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Hi Ibrahiim,
Thanks for the info, this is one of the two places that I located a weapon similar in design and decoration to the one I own.
Regards
Miguel