African sickle swords

[Changdao]

I have been fascinated for the last year of so by the great Central African sickle sword family. They are really diverse, but evidently related in some way, in the same way that European medieval straight swords until sideswords diverge from a common ancestor in the late Roman spatha.

Thus, it would be really interesting in my opinion to share the sickle swords in our collections, sources about them and generally have a discussion about them. I will start rolling the ball by presenting my Ngombe/Ngbandi béro. It is relatively nimble, but still has authority in the striking head. I'm in love with this piece.

Also, it is almost identical in proportions and how it is decorated to the second one, taken from this link: https://ertribal.com/index.php/triba...o-sickle-blade

I like to think that both come from the same "workshop" or at least produced by closely related smiths, in both a geographical and/or cultural way. No hard proof to demonstrate it, but taking into account the huge variety seen even only amongst béro, the resemblance is striking.

[wildwolberine]

Here’s a sickle sword I added to my collection a couple weeks ago. Much plainer overall but it has some nice touches.

[Changdao]

It has indeed some nice details. It is also probably of a more common type in the region, without the extreme 90º bend that mine presents.

I crossed a while ago in an Evans-Pritchard article a source in which these swords (well, the choppy Zande versions, that is) appear in action.

"I have already quoted Schweinfurth's admiration of the Zande's skill in the use of his weapons. Another writer, Col. C. Chaillé Long, has described how in a fight with the Yanbari (? Nyangbara) he let loose his Azande (Adio or Makaraka Azande) on them : "I confess that I never saw a more perfect ideal of the warrior, not alone in muscular display, but in the bounding élan with which he flew rather than ran - the right hand grasping the huge knife, while with bouclier pressed closely to his side, he met the enemy. Covering his body with it with wonderful quickness from the deadly arrows, that his adversary in vain expended upon the broad shield, he threw himself upon him and cut and stabbed the defenceless 'Yanbari' to death." They burnt at least twenty villages and then ate enemy dead. The huge knife referred to is doubtless the scimitar the Azande of this region fought."

It includes the customary (and ridiculous) literary convention that the Zande were cannibals, but the account itself is interesting.

[Jim McDougall]

Your fascination with these weapons is well placed, and while African edged weapons are often collected and viewed for their unusual, often even bizarre blade shapes and overall styling from an artistic sense. Christopher Spring in his "African Arms & Armor" noted the often tenuous western need to speculate on how they were used, most notably the familiar 'throwing knives (known as 'shongo' in Azande parlance).

Often these dramatically curved or angled blade weapons of these Central African tribes are collectively grouped into that classification, but as mentioned, in some cases these weapons are parade or status oriented items.

The examples shown here in the OP are known to be from the Azande and associated tribes of NW Zaire, which is situated near the regions of South Sudan. In the speculation on the likely use of these, the use is likened to that of the dramatically curved 'shotel' sickle sword of the Abyssinians (Ethiopia).
In "Paths in the Rain Forests", (J.Vansina, 1990), it is suggested these highly curved or angled blades are used to hook aside the shields of opponents opening them to deadly spear thrusts.

One of the interesting dynamics associated with these 'sickle swords' and the throwing knives is that they apparently found some use in Sudan, in fact the throwing knives occur among Mahdist weaponry in the familiar thuluth covered blades. These were used by conscripted slave forces among the Ansar of the Khalifa's troops.

With these swords, most of their use seems to have remained in the Congo areas, but perhaps also with the slaving factions in South Sudan. The notorious Zubeir Pasha (1830-1913) was situated in the Bahr el Ghazal in northwest regions of South Sudan with numbers of 'zaribas' ( fortified locations from c. 1856).

In the movie "The Four Feathers" (the Heath Ledger modern remake) I was surprised to see these bird head curved sickle swords waved by numbers of tribesmen, and thought it unusual in the Sudanese context as portrayed.
However, it seems somebody did their homework!

These sickle swords seem to have some range of variation, and often have notable characteristic decorative motif, which appears to to relate to the profound superstitions and folk religions observed by these people.

The mounted Al Zubayr Rahma Mansur, known as the slaver/sultan who controlled the extensive slave trade based in Khartoum, later in S. Sudan.
He is of course armed with the Sudanese kaskaras. The use of sickle swords was more likely aming the 'bazinqir's' who were former slaves who became working men in the forces.

[Changdao]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Your fascination with these weapons is well placed, and while African edged weapons are often collected and viewed for their unusual, often even bizarre blade shapes and overall styling from an artistic sense. Christopher Spring in his "African Arms & Armor" noted the often tenuous western need to speculate on how they were used, most notably the familiar 'throwing knives (known as 'shongo' in Azande parlance).

Thanks for taking the time to post! As far as I know, both my own and wildwolberine's are of a form more typically associated with the Ngombe and Ngbandi, further southwest following the Ubangui river. Zande sickle swords, as far as I've seen, are usually of a slightly different profile, and fullered, just like the one in the old picture you posted.

It's interesting that we see these blades in the Sudan, and it is indeed an evidence of the dynamism of the area during the XIX century. The Zande fought against the Khedivate, the Mahdists and the Belgians for a long time, so it isn't surprising that their weapons appear further North along the Sudan, either as loot or in use by Zande (and other peoples) in service of those powers (mercenaries, pressed into service, or both).

I didn't notice them in The Four Feathers! Truth being told, I watched that movie many years before I knew anything about African weaponry.

Regarding function, I think there are many years of weird discourse around them, and many weird judgements from the colonial period. Probably because of the lack of dedicated study integrated into a coherent Military History for Africa, especially Central Africa, it seems like up to date analysis of many sources from a military history lens isn't there yet.

For example, the one in the OP is functionally a dagger-axe, in a way similar to a zaghnal minus the hammer bit and with extra hooking capabilities. In all sickle swords, from mine to the more choppy ones, the hooking makes sense, both for manipulating the enemy shield and just for reaching targets behind the shield. I haven't encountered any primary sources talking about it in relation to Central Africa, but they do exist regarding Ethiopia.

[Jim McDougall]

This really is a fascinating topic, and it is hard to follow sometimes as the names of the tribes seem to vary through transliteration, and the terms for the weapons themselves are equally hard to follow.

It seems in these various tribes of Congo regions the throwing knives, while following the same multi blade theme, are varied notably with terms being different in the same way.

I have but one example of a sword of the Congo which has some relation to the 'sickle swords', note the half moon fixture at top of blade near hilt, which I understand is to attach a leather strap. The rounded shape of the blade seems to correspond to one of the blades on the 'kpinga' throwing knife.
References have called this a 'war sickle' of Boa (Baboa) Nsakara and Yakoma tribes among others but it seems to be a form of the 'mambele' as yours.

The attached image is from "The Four Feathers", starring Heath Ledger (2002), a truly phenomenal film.
Note the raised Zande sword in the background.

[Edster]

My favorite Four Feathers is the 1939 version. Very good depictions of the Hadendawa and their weapons.

Maybe available on this YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukpcHG5h528

Ed

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Edster

My favorite Four Feathers is the 1939 version. Very good depictions of the Hadendawa and their weapons.

Maybe available on this YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukpcHG5h528

Ed

Right Ed, know what you mean! The 'old' movies are the best, and in researching these old films, especially back to the early years in Hollywood, it is well known the studios used actual weapons. Bannerman had nothing on these guys, in fact, he probably supplied much of the stock the studios used as props.
I recall some years back when a guy I knew went to an auction where the studios were cleaning house in their warehouses.
The stuff that was acquired by so many collectors was astounding.
Rudy (Valentino ) himself had become quite a collector of old swords acquired during making of films.
Oh.....the old days!

[G. Mansfield]

Here is an Azande prestige sickle sword. The hilt is carved elephant ivory with the typical black linear lines usually seen on Azande work, often on ivory arm daggers. The blade is forged with little decoration. Early 20th century , likely 1920 or 1930 whereabouts. Apologies for the dim lighting conditions, but the kitchen fluorescents are the brightest area on this gloomy fall day.

-Geoffrey

[Sajen]

So far I know only the Ngombe bero from Changdao and the Ngombe mambeli from Wildwolberine related, the enomo, Benge, Boa and Bandia people from Jim is another sickle sword. But I am not an expert at all.

[kronckew]

My Mambele sickle sword:

[Peter B.]

Here are three maps showing the different types of sickle swords and execution swords.
The maps are from the Tribal Arms monographs Vol.1 No.1-3 by Elsen (1,3) and Gosseau (2).

These three volumes describe in detail the weapons depicted and their respective origins.

[Jim McDougall]

Peter thank you for posting these! These are remarkable visual aids to geographically locate the variant styles and tribal associations key to them.
These tribal arms monographs are invaluable, and though there are the language barriers (I think they are in French?) the material is excellent through these kinds of visual presentation.

[Marc M.]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Peter thank you for posting these! These are remarkable visual aids to geographically locate the variant styles and tribal associations key to them.
These tribal arms monographs are invaluable, and though there are the language barriers (I think they are in French?) the material is excellent through these kinds of visual presentation.

Hi Jim

These books are a must have for African weapons collectors, they are four languages in the books : English, French, German and Dutch.

Best regards
Marc

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Marc M.

Hi Jim

These books are a must have for African weapons collectors, they are four languages in the books : English, French, German and Dutch.

Best regards
Marc

Thank you so much Marc !
It has been some years since I researched African arms from the Continent other than North Africa, and my references are not at hand. I have several of these books but did not recall multi languages. Many like Zirngible, if I recall, have English captioning and summary. As you well note, they are ESSENTIAL for anyone seriously studying these fascinating arms

Best
Jim