Some visitors to Dahomey through out the 19th century mention a special weapon carried by the female warriors. The irrepressible Burton for one, who's observations of the places in Africa he traveled are most often scornful, ridiculing often salacious so really not to be relied upon.
They are said to have carried a weapon that resembled a giant folding cut throat razor. Other than that they were said to use the weapons general to both sexes. This weapon is mentioned by more than one visitor but that does not necessarily mean they actually saw them with thier own eyes. What I find curious is not having seen in any museum, publication or other search such a distinctive titillating weapon, accompanied with tales of emasculation of prisoners. One would imagine this weapon to be iconic of Dahomey female warriors.
A very good book on the subject is "Amazons of Black Sparta" Stanley B Alpern who happens to be an American.
Last edited by Tim Simmons; 2nd September 2006 at 07:19 PM.
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