I guess it's Sudanese

Freddy · 30th October 2007, 08:58 PM

I found this club a couple of weeks ago and I'm still figuring out what it is. In my opinion, it comes from the Sudan. My reasons for thinking this, is because of the reptile skin on the handle.
It's quite old in my opinion. The chains are hand made (forged individually, rather then made industrially)? There are six of them, each with a coin at the end.
Nice feature is the spearpoint at the top.
The club itself is made out of one piece of wood.

Could this be some kind of sceptre ? Or is it a weapon ?

Perhaps some forumite could translate the text on the coins ?

Any suggestions on this piece are welcome.

Measurements :

total length : 52 cm
length of the spearpoint : 13,5

Tim Simmons · 30th October 2007, 09:07 PM

Looks like croc skin. I would agree with you on it being Sudanese. It has a look similar to the Mahdist stuff brought back to UK all those days ago. By the way thanks for the Tutsi. I will find a use for him.

ashoka · 30th October 2007, 09:24 PM

another one.., it even has the same date on the coins 1860.

Tim Simmons · 30th October 2007, 11:04 PM

I wonder if this is an Islamized version of this sort of thing, much in the same light as other animists peoples weapons used and converted by the Mahdists.

Jim McDougall · 10th November 2007, 08:40 PM

so any ideas what this Mahdist item was used for?

Tim Simmons · 10th November 2007, 09:25 PM

It certainly looks like it could be used as a weapon, especially the one ashoka arts shows. In my opinion it could also be used as a kind of rabble rousing prop, probably imbued with a kind of magic. {IT'S A KIND A MAGIC}

It can sometimes seem unbelievable that your best chance in life may depend on somebody shaking a stick at you. I am off to do some smudging

30th October 2007, 08:58 PM	#1
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	I guess it's Sudanese I found this club a couple of weeks ago and I'm still figuring out what it is. In my opinion, it comes from the Sudan. My reasons for thinking this, is because of the reptile skin on the handle. It's quite old in my opinion. The chains are hand made (forged individually, rather then made industrially)? There are six of them, each with a coin at the end. Nice feature is the spearpoint at the top. The club itself is made out of one piece of wood. Could this be some kind of sceptre ? Or is it a weapon ? Perhaps some forumite could translate the text on the coins ? Any suggestions on this piece are welcome. Measurements : total length : 52 cm length of the spearpoint : 13,5

30th October 2007, 09:07 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Looks like croc skin. I would agree with you on it being Sudanese. It has a look similar to the Mahdist stuff brought back to UK all those days ago. By the way thanks for the Tutsi. I will find a use for him. Last edited by Tim Simmons; 30th October 2007 at 09:37 PM. Reason: spelling

30th October 2007, 09:24 PM	#3
ashoka Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 61	another one.., it even has the same date on the coins 1860. Attached Images

30th October 2007, 11:04 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	I wonder if this is an Islamized version of this sort of thing, much in the same light as other animists peoples weapons used and converted by the Mahdists.

10th November 2007, 08:40 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,738	so any ideas what this Mahdist item was used for?

10th November 2007, 09:25 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	It certainly looks like it could be used as a weapon, especially the one ashoka arts shows. In my opinion it could also be used as a kind of rabble rousing prop, probably imbued with a kind of magic. {IT'S A KIND A MAGIC} It can sometimes seem unbelievable that your best chance in life may depend on somebody shaking a stick at you. I am off to do some smudging