Set of three bladed weapons. Central and West Africa, late 19th–early 20th century

Set of three bladed weapons. Central and West Africa, late 19th–early 20th century
Iron, wood, leather, plant fibers, and copper alloys.
Two of the blades retain their sheaths.
They show signs of wear, patina, and rust consistent with their use and age.
Measurements: The longest measures 36 cm.

A set of African bladed weapons that brings together types associated with both Central and West Africa. The first piece features an elongated, pointed blade and an elaborate carved wooden hilt, topped by two zoomorphic heads facing each other. This preference for figurative hilts finds parallels among ceremonial weapons produced in the area of the present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly within Songye traditions and culturally related groups.

The central piece stands out for its broad blade with an almost spatula-like profile and its fiber-wrapped hilt. Weapons of this type could transcend their practical function and serve as symbols of prestige or rank; the National Museum of African Art documents numerous variants from the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Congo region, including Poto and Ngombe swords characterized by the sculptural treatment and openwork of their blades. Smithsonian Institution The third piece, accompanied by a decorated metal sheath, bears similarities to daggers from the Adamawa region, between Cameroon and Nigeria.