Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


168 - African Boa Tribe Long Sword, late 19th Century

The blade of this long sword of the Boa Tribe of Central Zaire is 25¼ inches (64 cm). The handle is of dark wood with old loss of finish and chipping at some of the high points. Lew remarks in his notes that an inventory number in red paint has been applied on the end of the hilt and he interprets this to have previously been in an unspecified museum collection. The blade is slightly burnished on one side and old dark brown patches of discoloration (former rust sites) are seen. A typical pattern of parallel curved and straight lines is present on each face with traces of the decoration on the opposite blade face being seen. Towards the tip, the inscribed panel ends and there is a very low mid rib. Lew dated this example as circa 1890. Overall length is 29 inches (73.5 cm.) with a weight of 17½ ounces (494 grams).




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