Prestige / Throwing Knife Musri
Masalit, Sudan (Darfur)
Forged iron, leather, cotton textile
Late 19th / early 20th century

In addition to being used as a handweapon and a missile for war and hunting, the Musri was employed by men and women alike as a ceremonial dancing implement. Depicted in rock drawings from the 18th century, this weapon type is deeply rooted in the tradition and history of the Tubu-Daza of Chad.

Despite its effectiveness as a weapon, the primary function of the Musri was an emblem of prestige and a symbol of sovereign status, and its outline was even employed as a mark for branding cattle. When used as a weapon, it was thrown horizontally, but such use was outlawed in the early 1960s, for the extent of damage it typically caused (Westerdijk, The African Throwing Knife, 1988).

Leo Frobenius declared that the Musri was intended to resemble the shape of a duck, which was a symbol of the Tomagra, or aristocratic class (Zirngibl, Rare African Short Weapons, 1983).

Masalit blades are very similar to Tubu-Daza blades, but they observe a much more rigid aesthetic, whereas Tubu blades are more flowing and zoomorphic. The vertical stem and prim handle seen here are characteristics of Masalit blades. Like many older Sudanese blades, the incisions on this example were created after the iron had fully cooled, resulting in their shallow depth.

Mounted on a custom display stand, pictured below. 

27.25 in :: 69 cm

InventoryID #13-1110

SOLD