Ngbandi Sickle Sword
Ngbangi Sickle Sword
Ngbandi / Ngombe / Doko or surrounding neighbors
Upper Ubangi River - Ubangi District, Congo Free State - Équateur Province, Belgian Congo (Équateur, Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Late 19th - Early 20th century (ca. 1890 - 1925)
Iron, wood, copper
Blade: 18 3/4" (47.6cm)
Hilt & Blade: 23 1/4" (59.1cm)
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -
Collection Date: 2016
Collection Number: 32
Ex. American Art Market (2016)
This sickle sword originates from within the Congo jungles used by the Ngbandi, Ngombe, Doko, and surrounding neighbors. These vicious looking weapons were actually prestige objects carried in ceremonies and used as an indication of rank within society. Iron blades also functioned as a currency during trade and matrimonial transactions.
The double- edged, hand- forged, curved iron blade has an offset fuller for the first half of the blade, which is convex one one side while concave on the reverse. A panel of incised linework decorates this portion of the blade. The remainder of the blade is forged with a slight medial ridge that extends to the point. Wooden carved hilt with a conical flared pommel, flat on the base. The central grip is bound in strips of copper. A very good example in complete condition and intact. The predecessor older examples had no decoration to them, having longer blade lengths, and were used as instruments of war. This example dates from the late 19th into the early 20th century.
Photograph 16: Ngombe Warrior.
[1] “Beauté Fatale. Armes d’ Afrique Centrale”. 1992. Page 75: #48
[2] Fischer, Werner., Zirngibl, Manfred. 1978. “African Weapons”. Page 84. Cat. 144
[3] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=7140
[4] https://africanarms.com/gallery.html?9-ngbandi-sabre-60-cm-75-cm