Boa / Azande Mambeli

  • Boa / Azande Mambeli

  • Boa / Azande Mambeli

  • Boa / Azande Mambeli

  • Boa / Azande Mambeli

  • Boa / Azande Mambeli

  • Boa / Azande Mambeli

  • Boa / Azande Mambeli

  • Boa / Azande Mambeli

Boa / Azande Mambeli
Uélé District, Congo Free State - Bas- Uélé District, Orientale Province, Belgian Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Late 19th century (ca. 1880 - 1910)
Iron, wood, plant fiber
Blade: 58,4cm
Hilt & Blade: 67,3cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 67,3cm
Collection Date: 2021
Collection Number: 254

Sword known as a mambeli from the tribes of the Azande, Boa, and the numerous surrounding subsect neighbors of the Congo. These short swords served as symbols of status among the men and were distributed extensively throughout the region in diverse varieties.

This example has a double- edged iron blade, narrow at the base before flaring outward, then tapering into a long spearpoint. Slightly raised on the outside edges with the shallow center engraved with linear decorations on one side of the blade. Offset on the reverse side. Wood carved hilt with bound iron strips around the center grip. Plant fiber, woven rattan sheath with some damages. It is rare for the sheath to still be present, as most were lost on these older mambeli swords. This one of medium length with considerable age.