Dagger in Sheath
Gbaya, Central African Republic / Rep. of Congo / Cameroon
Iron, wood, leather, crocodile
Late 19th century

The great majority of the Gbaya people, some 4 million strong, inhabit the western part of The Central African Republic, while a quarter occupies areas in Cameroon. The Gbaya are made up of a number of major elements and several minor ones whose members differ in that each group speaks a well-defined dialect. In particular, the Gbaya groups Buli and Biyanda, who had a thriving iron industry fed by rich deposits of ore, seem to have excelled in the production of more sophisticated blades (Westerdijk, The African Throwing Knife, 1988).

14.5 in :: 37 cm

InventoryID #13-2668

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