Some observations about the so called Guduf swords

[CharlesS]

Thanks for your information and pics! That is one of the most elegant of African swords in my opinion.

[Araña_del_Sol]

Excellent write up! I have always been interested in the history and development of these swords, particularly with regard to their hypothetical ancestral (or derived) relationship to the more well known takouba. It would be interesting to know more about why these swords are associated with the Guduf given the diversity in the region and the historical context you provided.

- ADS

[Yvain]

Thanks ! Regarding the takouba, it's interesting to note that we can see some in the pictures above, carried alongside Dìì swords.

As for the link between this type of swords and the Guduf, I guess the answer would be in the work of Wente-Lukas, but I sadly can't find it.

[Martin Lubojacky]

Thank you very much for this very interesting and nicely written essay and shearing your knowledge !

I don´t have anything to add, and, unfortunately, I also don´t have this kind of sword. I hope you wouldn´t mind if I post here picture of some another blades collected in north Nigeria/Cameroon borderland.
Martin

[Yvain]

You're welcome Martin, my pleasure !

That's quite the selection you have here, I really like the Chamba (?) and takouba like ones !

[Lee]

Here is a delightfully colorful example with a typical blade with quite deeply cut fullers on one side, but with mounts retaining many takouba features:

[Yvain]

Thanks Lee, that's an amazing specimen you got there ! Really interesting to see this kind of hybrid type existed