African Throwing Knife

Jim McDougall · 26th September 2015, 03:29 AM

Miguel, I think you have done some great research on this most interesting piece, and would suggest you are most likely in the right neck of the woods on this. It seems of course that Chris Spring ("African Arms and Armour") has compiled some very well considered material on these and the throwing knife in general, as you have found.

Most of the general references on African arms have various assemblages of the variations of these type weapons, but in going through those I found no exact matches either. It does seem that for the most part, the later versions of these are for ceremonial and processional purposes. I think you are right in presuming this example to be well into the 20th c

I did find a Pitt Rivers museum entry online which illustrates a throwing knife loosely of this type arrangement and it is describes as a "Zungan Dowi' (='cocks tail') which is early 20th c. and of the Masalit/Fur people of Darfur (#1954.5.74). Apparantly this was collected by the well known historian of the Sudan, A.J.Arkell in 1934-36.
This particular form (with only a side mount arm, not multiple) is noted as of 'F' shape (Westerdijk, type 7).

What is key on the Pitt Rivers example is there is some geometric design with dots and connecting lines on the blade. While not nearly as complex it would seem the style of the motif may be of a favored style and possibly symbolically connected in some degree. It is always hard to say whether this kind of motif has significance or is simply decoratively applied.

These seem to have been earlier (c. 1870s) carried by the 'samballang' (throwing knife men) of the Sultan as regalia in procession on way to hunt. Later they became a status symbol and badge of Koranic scholars (fiki).
There were a number of other social and rite of passage oriented circumstances in which these were used as well.

The online data Ibrahiim has added provides interesting detail for these kinds of weapons overall, though as I note, I think the Masalit connection is most compelling.

26th September 2015, 03:29 AM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Miguel, I think you have done some great research on this most interesting piece, and would suggest you are most likely in the right neck of the woods on this. It seems of course that Chris Spring ("African Arms and Armour") has compiled some very well considered material on these and the throwing knife in general, as you have found. Most of the general references on African arms have various assemblages of the variations of these type weapons, but in going through those I found no exact matches either. It does seem that for the most part, the later versions of these are for ceremonial and processional purposes. I think you are right in presuming this example to be well into the 20th c I did find a Pitt Rivers museum entry online which illustrates a throwing knife loosely of this type arrangement and it is describes as a "Zungan Dowi' (='cocks tail') which is early 20th c. and of the Masalit/Fur people of Darfur (#1954.5.74). Apparantly this was collected by the well known historian of the Sudan, A.J.Arkell in 1934-36. This particular form (with only a side mount arm, not multiple) is noted as of 'F' shape (Westerdijk, type 7). What is key on the Pitt Rivers example is there is some geometric design with dots and connecting lines on the blade. While not nearly as complex it would seem the style of the motif may be of a favored style and possibly symbolically connected in some degree. It is always hard to say whether this kind of motif has significance or is simply decoratively applied. These seem to have been earlier (c. 1870s) carried by the 'samballang' (throwing knife men) of the Sultan as regalia in procession on way to hunt. Later they became a status symbol and badge of Koranic scholars (fiki). There were a number of other social and rite of passage oriented circumstances in which these were used as well. The online data Ibrahiim has added provides interesting detail for these kinds of weapons overall, though as I note, I think the Masalit connection is most compelling.