Sudan throwing knives

[colin henshaw]

Hi

Thought forumites with an African interest might like to see these two Ingessana throwing knives, from Southern Sudan.

Although called "throwing knives", I suspect they were used more in the manner of sabres or machetes...

Comments and further information on these are welcome.

[Iain]

Hi Colin,

Nice pieces! The best reference I know of for these is:

Ingessana Throwing Knives (Sudan)
M. C. Jedrej
Anthropos , Bd. 70, H. 1./2. (1975), pp. 42-48

You are correct in assuming these were not typically thrown, although apparently they could be in some circumstances. Instead they were demonstrated to Jedrej as being used much as a sword would be. It is also not the primary weapon of war for the Ingessana nor does it have a particular place as a ceremonial or status symbol (not restricted to certain class). Still Jedrej notes they are much in demand and the decorations are of a fixed form.

A little bit on the decoration taken from the article:

The designs on the blade are fixed and different for both the varieties.
The muder features a scorpion (deit) on the left side and an insect called fil
on the other. Fil is a water insect and often stings people who are bathing
but the pain is slight relative to that inflicted by a scorpion. The sai also
carries two creatures from nature, the snake (der) and the spider (maras) 2.
Both are represented on each side of the blade and spider four times in all,
twice on each side. The shank and hilt of each variety are engraved with either
pairs of small incisions (representing the footprints of a small deer, mofor)
or parallel zig-zag lines called 'the millepede' (dongole) and sometimes combi-
nations of both. The design here reflects the preference of the client or smith.
First of all we may note the emergence of a simple paradigm. There is
a clear opposition between the blade of the weapon and the handle. This is
particularly marked in Ingessana terms as the top or head and the bottom
or loins. On the head are designs that are fixed, on the loins are designs that
are optional, the former are derived from harmful creatures and the latter
from the harmless. Now these designs are derived from nature and are in
turn opposed to a design derivative in the first instance from culture, the kwir.
This element is appropriately on the neck of the knife between the top and
the bottom.

Cheers,

Iain

[Richard G]

Colin,
There are a couple of pictures in Spring's book of tribesmen carrying throwing knives that almost give the impression that the purpose of the lower spike is an aid to balancing the knife on the shoulder when being carried, which would allow both hands to be free when needed.
I presume I'm being silly!
Regards
Richard

[KuKulzA28]

I have seen photos and video of Veddas in Sri Lanka carrying axes by letting the lower end of the ax-head rest on their shoulder blade with the handle going over their collar-bone and chest...

so perhaps that form of resting the blade is not out of the question

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by Richard G

Colin,
There are a couple of pictures in Spring's book of tribesmen carrying throwing knives that almost give the impression that the purpose of the lower spike is an aid to balancing the knife on the shoulder when being carried, which would allow both hands to be free when needed.
I presume I'm being silly!
Regards
Richard

Here's an illustration from the book "African Weapons" by Fischer & Zirngible, 1978. Maybe its from further west than the Ingessana though ?

[Luc LEFEBVRE]

Yes, great knives.

[colin henshaw]

Thanks to those who have commented on these throwing knives, and particular thanks to Iain for the interesting reference. I've been able to dig up a bit more information on them, as per this extract from "Sudan Notes and Records" 1935.

Regards.