POWDER FLASKS FOR ID AND COMMENT

rickystl · 30th May 2016, 09:11 PM

Hi Stu.
I've always believed these very large horns were designed to carry extra powder to replenish the medium and smaller horns/flasks carried by individual warriors. I also thought the ones you picture above to be Moroccan in origin.
But I could be wrong. I'll look in my reference material tonight.
Rick

rickystl · 30th May 2016, 09:16 PM

Also, I've never seen one of this style that was NOT very large. I've always wanted one in a madium to smaller size, but never able to locate one. One about 9-10 inches long.
Rick

Kubur · 30th May 2016, 10:45 PM

Hi Stu,
If I'm not mistaken, it's a Manding powder horn.
The shape is very similar to the Massai milk containers.
But the decoration of yours is very West African, I would say Malian, not far from Morocco

Kubur

kahnjar1 · 31st May 2016, 08:39 AM

Thanks Rick and Kubur for your thoughts. The two flasks were described at point of sale as Mandinka, but then descriptions can often be wrong as we all know.
Mali was my guess in fact, and there is a very large population of Mandinka in that country. Lets see what others think........
Rick....The size could suggest that they are used to carry large amounts of powder, either for individual use or to resupply other smaller flasks. Black powder used in some areas of the sub Sahara is "home made" and of large grain size, requiring more than what we in the "west" are used to charge a gun. That could be the reason that the flask is so large.
Stu

Kubur · 31st May 2016, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Thanks Rick and Kubur for your thoughts. The two flasks were described at point of sale as Mandinka, but then descriptions can often be wrong as we all know.
Mali was my guess in fact, and there is a very large population of Mandinka in that country. Lets see what others think........
Rick....The size could suggest that they are used to carry large amounts of powder, either for individual use or to resupply other smaller flasks. Black powder used in some areas of the sub Sahara is "home made" and of large grain size, requiring more than what we in the "west" are used to charge a gun. That could be the reason that the flask is so large.
Stu

Stu, Mandinka and Manding are the same, so it's all good!

kahnjar1 · 31st May 2016, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kubur

Stu, Mandinka and Manding are the same, so it's all good!

...as are various other spellings of the same........

fernando · 31st May 2016, 09:51 PM

Mandingas over here

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30th May 2016, 09:11 PM	#1
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,632	Hi Stu. I've always believed these very large horns were designed to carry extra powder to replenish the medium and smaller horns/flasks carried by individual warriors. I also thought the ones you picture above to be Moroccan in origin. But I could be wrong. I'll look in my reference material tonight. Rick

30th May 2016, 09:16 PM	#2
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,632	Also, I've never seen one of this style that was NOT very large. I've always wanted one in a madium to smaller size, but never able to locate one. One about 9-10 inches long. Rick

30th May 2016, 10:45 PM	#3
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	Hi Stu, If I'm not mistaken, it's a Manding powder horn. The shape is very similar to the Massai milk containers. But the decoration of yours is very West African, I would say Malian, not far from Morocco Kubur

31st May 2016, 08:39 AM	#4
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,789	Thanks Rick and Kubur for your thoughts. The two flasks were described at point of sale as Mandinka, but then descriptions can often be wrong as we all know. Mali was my guess in fact, and there is a very large population of Mandinka in that country. Lets see what others think........ Rick....The size could suggest that they are used to carry large amounts of powder, either for individual use or to resupply other smaller flasks. Black powder used in some areas of the sub Sahara is "home made" and of large grain size, requiring more than what we in the "west" are used to charge a gun. That could be the reason that the flask is so large. Stu

31st May 2016, 09:51 PM	#7
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Mandingas over here