Asymmetrical Dagger in Sheath Poko or Tewla
Chokwe / Lunda / Lwena, Angola / D.R. Congo / Zambia
Iron, wood, brass, leather
Circa 1920s

This dagger was produced by the Chokwe (Tschokwé), but also found among the Lunda and Lwena. The knife itself was known as Poko or Tewla. The handle is carved to deliberately display the tang of the iron blade (Elsen, De Fer et De fierté, 2003; Felix & GE (Eds.), Fatal Beauty: Traditional Weapons from Central Africa, 2009). 

This example has a fragment of a 12 gauge shotgun shell affixed to the handle. The headstamp reads "12 P R B 12," indicating that it was manufactured by Poudreries Reunies de Belgique (Liege, Belgium). This factory, which primarily manufactured gunpowder, operated from 1896 to 1990. The style of the writing on the shell and primer suggets a manufacture date between 1920 and 1940 (Curtis Steinhauer, personal communication, 2022).

8 in :: 20.5 cm

InventoryID #13-1883

Not For Sale