African shape !

Jim McDougall · 27th February 2006, 11:52 PM

N2S, outstanding observation!! and extremely well placed. I had not thought of that and that is exactly the kind of thinking that is key in assessing the identification and cultural implications of ethnographic weapons.

Although as Luc has indicated, the regional origins of these weapons may not correspond directly to such adornments from other areas, I think the association is well placed. What has always amazed me about African weapons is the incredible diffusion via trade and intertribal contacts that network across the continent. Several years ago I worked on research on the so-called Zanzibar swords, which actually it seems, derived from Morocco, and such diffusion occurred via these same type networks, in this case trans-Saharan.

Luc, also very well placed observations, and thank you for including the references! The weapons of Africa are intriguing and almost always a puzzle, and this kind of discussion really helps .The references help us keep our bearings in ongoing research, so we dont retravel the same roads.Thank you!

All the best,
Jim

27th February 2006, 11:52 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	N2S, outstanding observation!! and extremely well placed. I had not thought of that and that is exactly the kind of thinking that is key in assessing the identification and cultural implications of ethnographic weapons. Although as Luc has indicated, the regional origins of these weapons may not correspond directly to such adornments from other areas, I think the association is well placed. What has always amazed me about African weapons is the incredible diffusion via trade and intertribal contacts that network across the continent. Several years ago I worked on research on the so-called Zanzibar swords, which actually it seems, derived from Morocco, and such diffusion occurred via these same type networks, in this case trans-Saharan. Luc, also very well placed observations, and thank you for including the references! The weapons of Africa are intriguing and almost always a puzzle, and this kind of discussion really helps .The references help us keep our bearings in ongoing research, so we dont retravel the same roads.Thank you! All the best, Jim