Congo/Gabon/W African dance axe?

[Tim Simmons]

My first thing for 2008. Still has to arrive but I cannot wait any longer . I would like opinions from the African collectors like Freddy, Luc and others. It was not cheap but I think it is rare enough for the price. The over all length is 51cm. I guess the blade is 16cm so it is not big. One cannot see if it has any weight but it does look like there is a sharp edge. Possibly not a dance item? I just love the flourish to the blade and the handle also looks very nice. I will show other pictures when it arrives.

[katana]

Hi Tim
interesting piece..... keep thinking 'African Ram dao', the coiled design (snake ?) adding alittle weight to the tip.

Chicken sacrifice is very common in Africa, both occurring in some of the indiginous religions and the Islamic population.

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:F...nk&cd=14&gl=uk

http://books.google.com/books?id=frC...D8n1D2QxNVj32c

http://www.voiceinthedesert.org.uk/w...in_the_gu.html

As to the spiral symbology perhaps

".... the spiral and its continuity has been used for thousands of years as a symbol of the Earth Mother…and of that cyclic nature of life.
By the same token, because snakes are often seen coiled in a spiral, in many cultures they have in fact been adopted as a symbol or representative icon of that concept of the ongoing cycle of life, death, and rebirth. In addition, there is the fact that since they crawl along the ground, they are in constant contact with the Earth Mother.
Because it sheds its skin, the snake has long been a symbol of death and rebirth, and in the few days before the shedding, it often takes on a deathly appearance where its eyes begin to cloud over and and its skin becomes dull. In many cultures, this indicates the snake’s ability to move between the realms of the living and the dead, of crossing over from life to death and then back to life again....."

Regards David

[Tim Simmons]

David your research is as keen as ever. Thank you.
Such thoughts had entered my mind but I did not want to state too much. I feel this is West African, Nigeria or what was Dahomey. Possibly a rare piece. It is clearly something special to my mind anyway.

[katana]

Thanks Tim,
the two 'lugs' on the handle are a bit of a mystery .... I like the metal ferrule , neat little 'touch'


The overall impression, of your piece is that it is functional, possibly utalitarian but I think too ornate for everyday use. Ritualistic gets my vote .... well until Freddy or Luc correct me

[katana]

Hi Tim
I've just added 6 spears to my collection.....one may be of interest to this thread. If you look at the decoration on one of them...it appears very similar to the design on the ferrule on your 'Ram dao' .....alas I do not know the origins

Regards

[Tim Simmons]

Nice set of spear David, they look like Sudan/Congo Zande and Mangbetu they could be from else where ofcourse. The marks have some similarity. I am thinking that the axe? may relate more to this type of thing. The proportions are very similar to the axe? is 2.5cm longer.