Massive Tetela Prestige Sword

  • Massive Tetela Prestige Sword

  • Massive Tetela Prestige Sword

  • Massive Tetela Prestige Sword

  • Massive Tetela Prestige Sword

  • Massive Tetela Prestige Sword

  • Massive Tetela Prestige Sword

  • Massive Tetela Prestige Sword

Massive Tetela Prestige Sword
Tetela, Mbole, Genya, Lokele, Topoke, Ngandu, or neighboring tribes
Kasaï District, Congo Free State - Congo- Kasaï District - Congo- Kasaï Province, Belgian Congo (Lusambo Area, Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Late 19th - Early 20th century (ca. 1900)
Iron, wood, copper
Blade: 52,1cm
Hilt & Blade: 73cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -cm
Pommel: 8,9cm wide & 5,1cm thick
Collection Date: 2022
Collection Number: 268

Ex. Rick Stroud (RSWORD): Raleigh, North Carolina, USA (2022)

A massive and heavy currency or prestige sword from the Tetela or surrounding neighbors of the Congo. Double- edged iron blade flared at the base and recurving back to flare outward again before tapering into a long point. The entirely having a medial ridge and notched edges at its base. One side of the blade has the word "Ikel" (?) engraved. The hilt is made of wood and bound with copper strips. Massive and heavy diamond- shaped iron pommel.

This is the largest example that I have found, and it would have been used as currency or a display of prestige in showing one's rank as there is no basic functionality due to its size and weight.

Photo 7: By Cauvin André (1907 - 2004), Belgian Congo between 1951 - 1956.