Ceremonial Adze
Songye / Nsapo (Sapo Sapo), D.R. Congo
Iron, copper, wood
Early 20th century

This copper-clad prestige adze is a rare type, and was an esteemed insignia of chiefly office. Songye and Nsapo adzes were items of high prestige, displayed in ritual and secular contexts by chiefs, diviners, blacksmiths, and sculptors. The iron blade is deliberately hammered flat on the anvil, which is a symbol of the blacksmith, and a reminder his great power and authority.

Among the Songye, Luba, and neighboring peoples, metallurgy is intrinsically linked with sacred royalty and spiritual potency. The flat iron blade was carefully decorated with copper overlay, and afterwards the wood handle was attached and decorated with copper sheets affixed with handmade copper nails (Hurst, Ngola, 1997; Neyt, Songye, 2004).

19 in :: 48 cm

InventoryID #13-2511

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