african wrist club
 

hi everyone,

your opinion please on this african wrist club? its 3.5" high and the diameter is 2.5" and it weighs 2lbs and 10.6 ounces. it appears to be some type of pewter................thanks...................jim my

I'm afraid I can't offer any help, but I to would like to learn more about this item.

I haven't come across a "wrist club" before - how is it defined over just a heavy bracelet? I know of the Turkana wrist knives and Sudanese (Nuer) fighting bracelets. But these are metal and not of this form.

The amount of flex it has to open and close is surprising if it is made of pewter? Which I didn't think was a material with much spring to it.

I think I'm right in saying the Taureg use a heavy wrist band, I guess to add some clout to the swing of the sword arm. Cant remember where I read it, may have been in one of Tirri's books.

I'm a little familiar (but not much!) with the Tuareg ones - usually stone and I believe while they had a roll in combat (not sure about the sword swinging bit) they also had magical/charm properties.

Interesting paper on the production of the stone ones.

That doesn't shed much light on this item - but one thing I would note, from the photos I really wonder if this isn't bronze? I think I see dull bronze colored metal on some of the edges and inside the cylindrical fasteners.

It looks like a lead + copper type of bronze rather than lead + tin pewter. I know there are many forms of fighting cuffs in Africa but have no idea where this is from.

hello everyone,

it might be part lead or more but its awfully heavy for a bracelet. its 2lbs 10.6 ounces. i am taking it to baltimore with me this weekend to see if i can find anything more out about it.

thanks......jimmy......