Throwing Knife, ngalio
Ngambaye / Laka, Republic of Chad
Iron
Late 19th / early 20th century

This is a rare variety of the familiar F-style northern thrown knife, which comes from the southern Ngambaye and southern Laka, among other groups. While sharpened like a functional object, this elegant type was almost exclusively carried as an emblem highlighting a special status. This status could be elevated by carrying more than one at a time (Westerdijk, The African Throwing Knife, 1988).

Collection details are painted on the back, but their meaning is unknown to me. 

28.625 in :: 72.5 cm

InventoryID #13-2356

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