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Originally Posted by Martin Lubojacky
Small remarks which could, maybe, contribute to the clarification of the use:
The cone/nob made of black clay is, in fact, relatively breakable. The small red bids inserted in it are not bids made of glass etc - it is seed of some tree and in many cases they already dropped out (this does not seem to be durable command baton like eg mace/bulava) It is really long time and I donīt remember well already, but I heard the clay and seeds had some meaning for Mahdist monks...
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Oh, so then this is what Zirngibl means by "decorated with poisonous seeds". I was not quite sure how to interpret that part when I read the text to the illustration in Panga Na Visu, but your explanation makes perfect sense now.
So I guess what we have are dancing spears, meant for ritualistic use by fervent dervishes in Sudan.