Short sword - Democratic Republic of the Congo

Short sword 'ntsoko' Saka/Ngandu
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Total length: 47 cm
Period: beginning of the 20th century (1900-20)
Provenance: Danny De Waele - Belgium

The short sword ntsoko comes from the northeast Mongo: the Ngandu, the Saka, the Lalia, and the Kuru. The blacksmiths of the Mongo complex produced a wide range of leaf-shaped knives, like this one. Although primarily used as prestige weapons, they could also be used in combat. Westerdijk states that these knives "were in the possession of all adult men among the Saka and their neighbors" (Elsen, De Fer et De fierté, 2003; Westerdijk, African Metal Implements, 1984).

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