Mayoko swords

IainN · 8th June 2006, 08:55 PM

Recently I'm finding myself fascinated by swords from the Mayoko tribe. I've been able to find out very little about the people group using google, so I was wondering if anyone could suggest resources. They can be general, but of course A&A specific ones are even more helpful.

Also images of Mayoko swords, knives, people, what have you... would be muchos appreciated.

This one in particular is quite the beauty (and has probably been posted here a few hundred times

)
http://anthro.amnh.org/images/full/901/901_3715.jpg

ariel · 8th June 2006, 09:07 PM

Which Mayoko?
This one ?
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/n/...tdark.jpg.html

Or that one?
http://pview.findlaw.com/view/3352923_1?noconfirm=0

I like the second one: she is very cute and her tribe used to make great swords, but now makes even better sushi!

IainN · 8th June 2006, 09:14 PM

Nice Ariel.

I of course meant the people group from Congo, I'm always forgetting the specificity.

ariel · 8th June 2006, 09:19 PM

I've never seen the sword you posted. Seems to be of much better quality than the usual African stuff and infinitely more functional. I am intrigued...

IainN · 8th June 2006, 09:34 PM

I just happened upon it while surfing the http://anthro.amnh.org/anthro.html Africa collection.

Here's another Mayoko sword (though not nearly as nice)
http://anthro.amnh.org/images/full/901/901_2124.jpg

Notice the different blade cross-section from the previous example.

Tim Simmons · 8th June 2006, 09:41 PM

I started a thread called Takouba saber. The sword has the same cross section. Identification can be maddening where does one inflence end and another start across a vast land. It looks like the sword belongs to the big chap with all the flunkies hanging around.

Flavio · 8th June 2006, 11:47 PM

Hello IainN, i have seen these two swords some times ago on the great site you have posted and indeed are very beautiful and elegant. Maybe a month ago i have watched a sword of this kind on ebay, but for some damned motivation i don't bid on it (ah, my memory!!). I never see the Mayoko tribe on books, or maybe i don't remember (again my memory), but the hilt is identical to the ones of the Mangbetu knives-short swords. Maybe the Mayoko are a population in the bigger group of the Mangbetu. Moreover the sword on ebay showed a leather scabbard that was a transitional type from the Mangebutu ones and the Sudan ones (quite similar to the second one you have posted). Also the length is more near to a kaskara that not a mangbetu knife.

8th June 2006, 08:55 PM	#1
IainN Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 31	Mayoko swords Recently I'm finding myself fascinated by swords from the Mayoko tribe. I've been able to find out very little about the people group using google, so I was wondering if anyone could suggest resources. They can be general, but of course A&A specific ones are even more helpful. Also images of Mayoko swords, knives, people, what have you... would be muchos appreciated. This one in particular is quite the beauty (and has probably been posted here a few hundred times ) http://anthro.amnh.org/images/full/901/901_3715.jpg

8th June 2006, 09:41 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	I started a thread called Takouba saber. The sword has the same cross section. Identification can be maddening where does one inflence end and another start across a vast land. It looks like the sword belongs to the big chap with all the flunkies hanging around. Attached Images

8th June 2006, 09:07 PM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Which Mayoko? This one ? http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/n/...tdark.jpg.html Or that one? http://pview.findlaw.com/view/3352923_1?noconfirm=0 I like the second one: she is very cute and her tribe used to make great swords, but now makes even better sushi!

8th June 2006, 09:14 PM	#3
IainN Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 31	Nice Ariel. I of course meant the people group from Congo, I'm always forgetting the specificity.

8th June 2006, 09:19 PM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I've never seen the sword you posted. Seems to be of much better quality than the usual African stuff and infinitely more functional. I am intrigued...

8th June 2006, 09:34 PM	#5
IainN Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 31	I just happened upon it while surfing the http://anthro.amnh.org/anthro.html Africa collection. Here's another Mayoko sword (though not nearly as nice) http://anthro.amnh.org/images/full/901/901_2124.jpg Notice the different blade cross-section from the previous example.

8th June 2006, 11:47 PM	#7
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello IainN, i have seen these two swords some times ago on the great site you have posted and indeed are very beautiful and elegant. Maybe a month ago i have watched a sword of this kind on ebay, but for some damned motivation i don't bid on it (ah, my memory!!). I never see the Mayoko tribe on books, or maybe i don't remember (again my memory), but the hilt is identical to the ones of the Mangbetu knives-short swords. Maybe the Mayoko are a population in the bigger group of the Mangbetu. Moreover the sword on ebay showed a leather scabbard that was a transitional type from the Mangebutu ones and the Sudan ones (quite similar to the second one you have posted). Also the length is more near to a kaskara that not a mangbetu knife.