Prestige Sword Lofambwa / Ingonda
Ngombé / Doko / Ngandu / Ntomba / Budja, D.R. Congo
Iron, wood, copper, vegetable fiber
Late 19th / early 20th century
This rare sword was reserved for chiefs and used as a symbol of prestige and dignity. They were often carried in a sheath made of two wooden boards.
The 120,000 Ngombé live scattered along the banks of the Lualaba River. They migrated during the 18th century from Lake Victoria and finally settled in their present site during the 19th century. They are led by chiefs, accredited by the warrior’s society, Elombe, who rule over the village and family chiefs (Bacquart, The Tribal Arts of Africa, 2002; Elsen, De Fer et De fierté, 2003; Felix & GE, Fatal Beauty: Traditional Weapons from Central Africa, 2009).
30.75 in :: 78 cm
InventoryID #13-1643
SOLD
