African Throwing knives

[Luc LEFEBVRE]

African Throwing knives from south of Central Africa:
http://www.africanthrowingknives.com/galleries/southern-knives/

[Edster]

Luc,

Interesting collection and book. Thanks for posting.

There are interesting sources re Central African metalworking. Here is one by Jay Spaulding. He observes (via an 1842 source) that those tribes in Sudan hadn't learned quenching. Are your examples hardened via heat treating or by workhardening the edges.

https://web.ccsu.edu/afstudy/upd15-4.html?redirected#The%20Ironworking%20of%20Ancient %20Sudan

Also, you may search for "Did They or Didn't They Invent It? Iron in Sub-Saharan Africa" by Stanley B. Alpern, 2005

Regards,
Ed

[Luc LEFEBVRE]

You can find a good synthese of early ironworking and archaeology in the catalog of the exhibit "STRIKING IRON", Fowler museum at UCLA.
The origin of copper and iron smelting are diverse: Sub-Saharian (Nok), Nile Valley (Meroë), Congo (Upemba depression), Zimbabwe.
The subject is difficult.
UCLA (https://www.fowler.ucla.edu/exhibitions/striking-iron/)

[Sajen]

Thank you for sharing Luc! :)