View Full Version : Short sword West Africa
Pertinax
20th April 2024, 04:58 PM
This form of hilt of swords and knives is characteristic of the tribes of West Africa, possibly the Akan people, who founded the state of Ashanti (in some sources Asante) or Bole.
The shape of the handle is also characteristic of other tribes that inhabited the Kingdoms of Dahomey, Benin and neighboring states.
Total length in sheath - 470 mm, sword length - 460 mm, blade length - 335 mm, blade width at the hilt - 37 mm, blade thickness - 5 mm, weight - 292 g
I would appreciate your comment.
Regards, Yuri
gp
20th April 2024, 07:02 PM
it has some similarities with these 2 Mandingo daggers ( 36 - 42cm )
Pertinax
20th April 2024, 07:36 PM
it has some similarities with these 2 Mandingo daggers ( 36 - 42cm )
Thank you gp
I saw these daggers.
It is possible that this is Mandingo; it seems to me that it is not possible to accurately attribute it in view of the fact that tribes migrated to this territory, some states disappeared, and new ones were formed.
Regards, Yuri
gp
20th April 2024, 08:30 PM
some more on its style:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=258555&highlight=mandingo#post258555
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1687
David R
20th April 2024, 10:04 PM
Well I dunno where its from, but I like it. A very nice piece.
Pertinax
20th April 2024, 10:11 PM
some more on its style:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?p=258555&highlight=mandingo#post258555
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1687
Thank you gp
I will collect more information
Regards, Yuri
gp
20th April 2024, 11:21 PM
Thank you gp
I will collect more information
Regards, Yuri
You're welcome Yuri !
best regards
Gunar
Sajen
21st April 2024, 12:03 PM
Hello Juri,
Gunar is correct, it's a long Mandingo dagger or Moorish dagger, a very nice one, congrats! Compare: *******************************gallery?0-5-mandingo-dagger-36-42-cm
Tribes don't care about borders or States.
Regards,
Detlef
Marc M.
21st April 2024, 01:06 PM
Yes Mandingo, nice one.
Regards Marc
Pertinax
21st April 2024, 01:43 PM
Many thanks to David R, Gunar, Detlef, Marc for comments
Regards, Yuri
Interested Party
24th April 2024, 06:18 PM
Gunar is correct, it's a long Mandingo dagger or Moorish dagger, a very nice one, congrats! Compare: *******************************gallery?0-5-mandingo-dagger-36-42-cm
Tribes don't care about borders or States.
Interesting. I had never noticed it before but there are several stylistic similarities, particularly in Detlef's examples #1 and #3 from left, with the Brazilian foca de ponta. Notably the bulbous pommel, over all profile, and the decorations on the ricasso.
Sajen
24th April 2024, 09:34 PM
Interesting. I had never noticed it before but there are several stylistic similarities, particularly in Detlef's examples #1 and #3 from left, with the Brazilian foca de ponta. Notably the bulbous pommel, over all profile, and the decorations on the ricasso.
You are correct, these daggers are very similar in their design, Wolf-Dieter Miersch has this dagger on his page: *******************************gallery?moorish-dagger-possibly-from-mali-39-2-cm
I've pointed out years ago that this dagger is Brazilian and informed Wolf-Dieter so he changed the description. ;)
Regards,
Detlef
Pertinax
25th April 2024, 10:17 AM
Mandingo dagger and Brazilian foca de ponta are very similar.
Perhaps the Mandingo, who were enslaved and ended up in Brazil, began producing daggers there.
Interested Party
25th April 2024, 05:36 PM
Perhaps the Mandingo, who were enslaved and ended up in Brazil, began producing daggers there.
My thoughts exactly. Here is an, not that old in my opinion, example that was for sale recently. Check out the flair on the sheath al la kaskara and if I remember correctly some west African short swords as well.
Sajen
25th April 2024, 06:24 PM
I think it's more of a coincidental similarity. Handle construction, ferrule and also the ricasso (if any) show differences.
Compare with three 19th century examples from my collection.
Pertinax
25th April 2024, 06:42 PM
I think it's more of a coincidental similarity. Handle construction, ferrule and also the ricasso (if any) show differences.
Compare with three 19th century examples from my collection.
Perhaps this is a coincidental similarity.
But in any case, the tribes that fell into slavery and ended up in other countries brought with them their culture and customs.
Sajen
25th April 2024, 07:25 PM
But in any case, the tribes that fell into slavery and ended up in other countries brought with them their culture and customs.
Certainly! :)
Interested Party
25th April 2024, 08:33 PM
The OP dagger/sword is nice! How is the balance? Did it have a chape originally to cover the textile bulb on the bottom of the sheath?
Pertinax
25th April 2024, 09:14 PM
The OP dagger/sword is nice! How is the balance? Did it have a chape originally to cover the textile bulb on the bottom of the sheath?
The blade metal is not of very good quality. I bought the dagger already in this condition, I just cleaned the blade of dirt.
Yvain
26th April 2024, 06:50 PM
On the subject of similarities between African and Brazilian knives : http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=27589
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