Onzil or Osélé Birdhead Knife with Scabbard
Fang / Kota, Gabon
Iron, wood, brass
Late 19th century

Often called a "bird head" knife for its resemblance to the African Hornbill (Calao), the Onzil or Osélé knife was a symbolic emblem of religious prestige and social authority that was never intended for use as a knife. The onzil knife played a specific role in the context of several of the many religious societies that existed among the groups inhabiting the Ogowe basin; for the Kota, this included the Mungala and the Bwiti. 

Bird head knives symbolically represented weapons that were metaphysically aimed at hurting anyone who acted antisocially against the village community by practicing witchcraft or sorcery. The hornbill is a creature much admired in Africa for its persistence and intelligence (Blackmun & Hautelet, Blades of Beauty and Death, 1990; Westerdijk, The African Throwing Knife, 1988).

Purchased at auction in 2025. While the auction does not specify provenance, it mentions "Date of acquisition: 10/10/1982."

11 in :: 28 cm

InventoryID #13-2873

SOLD