Digital Collections | AMNH - Knife, brass, 17 inches (length), Mangbetu people of Africa

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Tags

American Museum Congo Expedition (1909-1915)

Congo Collections

Division of Anthropology

Mangbetu

Asset ID ptc-3951

Title Knife, brass, 17 inches (length), Mangbetu people of Africa

Description Collected before 1899, this brass knife belonged to a Mangbetu king. Knives with sickle-shaped blades and beautiful ivory or wooden handles, often wrapped in brass or iron wire, served as symbols of power for important men. Lang described their use, "These and similar knives are worn in the hand during visits, palavers, and ceremonials, because the Mangbetu say they are fancy and nice, but these knives are very carefully kept in close touch with their owners to be ever ready in case of danger or disputes" (203).
Materials: Metal (bronze), wood.

Agent (Role) Gardiner, Lynton (Photographer)

Date 1899 (acquired), 1990 (photographed)

Artwork/Object Type Knives

Physical dimensions L:43.5 W:20.5 (in CM)

Country Democratic Republic of the Congo

Is Part Of African reflections : art from northeastern Zaire, Division of Anthropology, African Ethnographic Collection

Collection/Work Relation AMNH Special Collections, Photographic Transparency Collection, 4 x 5: 3951

Department Catalog Number(s) 1/5731

Rights statement Information on rights available at the repository.

Repository American Museum of Natural History

Publication History Schildkrout, Enid, Curtis A Keim, Curtis A Keim, American Museum of Natural History, and American Museum of Natural History. 1990. African Reflections : Art from Northeastern Zaire. Seattle: University of Washington Press, p. 142.

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