A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife

  • A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife

  • A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife

  • A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife

  • A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife

  • A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife

  • A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife

  • A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife

  • A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife

  • A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife

A Fine Mangbetu Trumbash (Emambele) Prestige Knife
Mangbetu People
Uéle District, Congo Free State - Haut- District, Orientale Province, Belgian Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Late 19th - Early 20th century (ca. 1890 - 1920)
Iron, elephant ivory
Blade: 23,5cm
Hilt & Blade: 34,9cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -cm
Collection Date: 2021
Collection Number 232

A prestige trumbash "sickle knife," also known as an emambele, is a symbolic object of rank within the Mangbetu and surrounding peoples. Trumbash are also used as a form of currency, and their styles of blacksmithing can vary with the angle of the blade, protrusions, holes, materials, and decoration.

The iron blade is hand forged, sickle- shaped with a flaring tip. There are two hexagonal protrusions on the back spine and one on the front near the base. Edges with incised notchings. The center of the blade has a blackening with two holes forged in the center. Thick ricasso as the base forming into a rectangular ridge that spans about half of the blades length. Elephant ivory carved cylindrical hilt. The hilt has a beautiful dark orange hue patina. A fine old piece.

Photo 10: Mangbetu Chiefs, Zaire 1936.