Throwing Knife
Yangere / Southern Gbaya / Makaa, Central African Republic
Iron, vegetal fiber, copper
Early 20th century

This type of blade was used primarily as throwing knife, and also sometimes attached to the end of a rope and swung around before being released to increase its velocity. This description alludes to why so many examples of this type exist today without their grips or their spurs. Long after the times of tribal warfare had ended, many family heads among the Gbaya and Yangere still kept their treasured throwing knives as precious family heirlooms, regarding them with "a sort of religious awe" (Westerdijk, The African Throwing Knife, 1988).

Ex. Sven-Erik Johansson's collection, Varberg, Sweden.

15.25 in :: 38.75 cm

InventoryID #13-2874

Price on Request