A kota knife
 

Here is my last purchase: a kota knife. Now, as you see, this one isn't one of the best that you can see on the books, but anyway is quite nice (the price is quite low and not hundreds of dollars!!). These kind of knives are use in some secret social groups among the kota, but in some books knives like mine (not so "beautiful") are considered as currency. What is strange for me, as you can see from the pictures, is that the blade is very thin and so the amount of iron very low for a currency; moreover the engraved surface for me means that it wasn't a mere object of exchange. Also the working is strange: the surface don't seem to be hammered but shows like if some drops of metal were fallen over. So maybe this type of musele is more recent that the beautifulr ones that we can see on books, and perhaps they are copy for "white people"? What do you think about this? There is some of you that have these knives? Could you please tell me if your blade shows some kind of midrib or is completely flat like mine? Thank you

This might not be like the ones you see in books {which we all want madly} but it would do me very nicely for starters. It most be a currency or parade/dance item. Lucky you. Tim

I BUMPED UP A OLD POST WITH A PICTURE OF A KNIFE/AXE LIKE YOURS. I ADDED SOME INFORMATION ON MY EXAMPLE AT THE BOTTOM. THE POST TOPIC IS (AFRICAN AX TRY OUT) LOTS OF GOOD INFO AND PICTURES OF AFRICAN AXES THERE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK OF THE ODD FINISH ON YOUR AXE BLADE PERHAPS ONE OF OUR METAL WORKERS MAY HAVE SOME IDEAS. AT ANY RATE YOURS IS A NICE EXAMPLE AND IF YOU GOT IT CHEAP CONGRADULATIONS ARE IN ORDER :D .

Thank you Tim and Vandoo. Tim I don't think that blades with an handle could be used as currency and moreover if the blade is decorated and if also the handle is decorated with copper wire. In this case the blade is very thin and i'm agree with you that maybe this knife was used for dance/rituals/parade. Thank you

This thread seems a suitable place to show this dance sickle that I acquired in a swap from a well known Belgian policeman. No it was not Poirot. This is a pretty little thing and although not old I rather like it. Total length 22cm. Tim

Hi All,

Two comments:

First, somewhere along the line I'd gotten the idea that the kota was used as a ceremonial/dance accessory, rather than as a currency. This isn't worth much, as I can't remember the source at the moment.

Second, about knives as currency.... I'm not sure how they were used in Africa, but biologists and anthropologists working in Amazonia and in Papua New Guinea still use knives as currency. It's not a matter of "can you give me change for a machete?..." Rather, it's a matter of carrying a stock of machetes, axes, bush knives, tarps, flashlights, etc. as payment for whatever they're working on: animals, help trapping, help collecting plants, payment for letting them stay in a village, etc. I suspect that the African currency blades are used in similar ways, although the fact that many are not functional may mean that they're taking on more of the functions of a true currency.

My 0.02 cents,

F

Hi fearn, I think you are spot on. I have read that these axes were used for large transactions, The source did not elaborate as to whether this was material goods which I doubt, live stock or land rights or access to natural resources but it did stress large transactions, maybe people as in marriage and the like. Tim

Beautiful axe Tim. Is the blade thin or heavy?

Hello Flavio,

These pictures give some idea of the thickness of the axe handle and blade. The blade is on average 2mm thick and also has a blunt edge. One thing that is a little odd is that the metal has been tempered, more so than some thin functional knife blades. it has a nice ring to it when tapped. Tim

Thank you Tim :)