Azande / Mangbetu Harpoon Head
Azande / Mangbetu or surrounding neighbors
Uélé District, Congo Free State - Orientale Province, Belgian Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Late 19th - Early 20th century (Ca. 1900)
Iron
Blade: 9,5cm
Blade & Shaft: 49,5cm
Blade, Shaft, Socket: 59,7cm
Collection Date: 2023
Collection Number: 357

A harpoon head to a hunting javelin or spear used by the Azande, Mangbetu, or closely related neighbors. It is made of iron in the form of an arrowhead shaped tip forged with a strong central ridge. Long steel shaft of nine pairs of flared barbs on each side. One barb broken. Steel socket. Missing wooden handle.

• “Beauté Fatale. Armes d’ Afrique Centrale”. 1992. Page 73. #30

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1898-74

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1898-73

• http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=4348

• https://african-weapons.com/gallery?mangbetu-spear-point-38-5-cm