Unknown sickle knife

[Freddy]

Here's one which is a bit of a mystery to me. The way the handle is contructed this sickle knife reminds me of weapons from the Konda tribe.

But I have never seen this shape before. Perhaps someone has another idea ?

The blade is shaped like a true sickle with a small metal extension near the handle. The cutting edge is at the inside of the curve. It's decorated with lines forming triangles. The metal also has rectangular dots beaten into it.

The handle is wood with some iron banding near the blade.

dimensions :

height : 30 cm
handle : 10,7 cm
width of blade : 3,7 cm

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Unknown.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Unknown-detail3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Unknown-detail1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Unknown-detail2.jpg

[ariel]

Reminescent of the mambeli, isn't it?

[Freddy]

'Mambeli' is a Mangbetu type of sickle knife (also called : trumbash). Their weapons are heavier and the form is quite different.

In this weapon, I see more a derived form of elongated sickle knife like this one. This is a small sickle weapon from the Zande :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Zande1detail3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Zande1detail4.jpg

[Tim Simmons]

Once again you show us a really great thing. I bet you have the set! :cool:

[Freddy]

Tim, you'll have to check it out, should you ever visit Ghent ;)