Short Sword with Embellished Handle
Tetela, D.R. Congo
Iron, wood, copper, brass
Late 19th century

While this is a rare but well-known type, little has been written about it. It is often described as a pretige object or a chief's sword, without further details. Clearly, the degree of embellishment to the handle and the blade designate it as an object of high prestige. 

The Tetela are a Mongo culture who number 120,000 and inhabit central D.R. Congo. They are not organized into a state with a central leader - they are divided into many independent communities, each composed of a number of lineages. These groups are governed by hereditary chiefs, kokolamani, through a prime minister, nyampara. There are also hunt chiefs and war chiefs, and some political chiefs are female (Felix, 100 Peoples of Zaire and Their Sculpture, 1987). 

13.75 in :: 35 cm

InventoryID #13-1769

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