Elaborately Decorated Axe
Lindi Region, Southeastern Tanzania
Iron, wood
Late 19th / early 20th century

Widstrand's 1958 book African Axes illustrates this type, which clearly exhibits similarities with other axes from southeastern Africa. He attributes this type as coming from "Lindi," which doesn't necessarily relate to a culture; it more likely refers to the the "Lindi Region," which is a large, sparsely populated area in southeastern Tanzania (less likely, but he could have also been describing the southeastern coastal town of Lindi).

The Lindi region incorporates numerous cultures. According to Wikipedia: Mwera, Ngindo, Matumbi, Machinga, and Makonde. According to Jahn, Tanzania Meisterwerke Afrikanischer Skuptur, 1994: Mwera, Makonde, Makua, Ngindo, Matumbi, Yao, Ndendeule, Ngoni, Ngindo, Rufiji, Matengo, Mpoto, Manda, Pangwa, Ndambda, and Pogoro. 

A related example was donated to the British Museum in 1921, viewable here. 

16 in :: 40.5 cm

InventoryID #13-2647

Price on Request