From ethiopia, tribal club

[kronckew]

24 inches long, head 2 inches at widest. head is a 4 sided truncated diamond shape. shaft is 1.5 inches at the head, tapering down to 1 inch at the pommel end. pommel goes back to 1.5 inches for about an inch. head and pommel are decorated with shallow carvings. pommel end is centrally drilled for about an inch, then curves to the side of the shaft just ahead of the pommel, for a lanyard. shaft appears roughly turned on a manually powered lathe, then smoothed. very apparent toolmarks, but smooth oiled finish. wood is dark brown hardwood, dense and heavy (lignum vitae or ironwood?). weight is 540 grams (1.2 lb.). from a vendor in addis abbaba, ethiopia. described as a 'knobkerrie from the Sidamo tribe'. i gather they grow a very nice coffee.