Needing help on Songye axe

fernando · 2nd November 2008, 08:25 PM

Can i have some help here, Gentlemen ?

The first and usual question would be the age; very late 19th century ?
The second is the hide that covers the handle; usualy quoted to be (monitor) lizard, it can also be seen quoted as snake skin, namely in the 'African Ethnographic Collection' website.
Finally the human heads:
On one hand, what do they actualy represent ? Are they replicas of Kifwebe masks ? Do they equate to the number of villages under the chieftain's authority ?
On the other hand, are the heads of one side to be summed to those in the other ? Freddy D'hont notices that this example, having three faces in one side and two in the other, which makes it a uneven number, is not usually seen.
Coments will be so much welcome.
Fernando

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Lew · 2nd November 2008, 11:30 PM

Hi Fernando

Nice axe I would say late 19th to about 1920. The skin is monitor lizard the heads I read somewhere represents the King's generals or advisors but I think Luc may be able to shed more light on the subject.

Lew

fernando · 6th November 2008, 12:19 AM

Thank you Lew,
Î was giving some time before any of the 'Africanist' members droped in some coments, but i wasn't lucky.
Oh well, you can't win them all.
Fernando

2nd November 2008, 08:25 PM	#1
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,642	Needing help on Songye axe Can i have some help here, Gentlemen ? The first and usual question would be the age; very late 19th century ? The second is the hide that covers the handle; usualy quoted to be (monitor) lizard, it can also be seen quoted as snake skin, namely in the 'African Ethnographic Collection' website. Finally the human heads: On one hand, what do they actualy represent ? Are they replicas of Kifwebe masks ? Do they equate to the number of villages under the chieftain's authority ? On the other hand, are the heads of one side to be summed to those in the other ? Freddy D'hont notices that this example, having three faces in one side and two in the other, which makes it a uneven number, is not usually seen. Coments will be so much welcome. Fernando . Attached Images Last edited by fernando; 2nd November 2008 at 08:35 PM. Reason: spell

2nd November 2008, 11:30 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Hi Fernando Nice axe I would say late 19th to about 1920. The skin is monitor lizard the heads I read somewhere represents the King's generals or advisors but I think Luc may be able to shed more light on the subject. Lew Last edited by LOUIEBLADES; 3rd November 2008 at 03:17 PM.

6th November 2008, 12:19 AM	#3
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,642	Thank you Lew, Î was giving some time before any of the 'Africanist' members droped in some coments, but i wasn't lucky. Oh well, you can't win them all. Fernando