Prestige/Throwing Knife, Musri
Teda/Tubu/Daza, Chad (Wadai/Ennedi/Borku Region)
Forged iron, braided leather, cotton
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 whom the Teda are a subgroup).

Despite its effectiveness as a weapon, the Musri was primarily an emblem of prestige and a symbol of soverign 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).

This piece is fully incised on both sides, which is unusual, since most examples are undecorated.

Mounted on a custom display stand (not pictured).

Published: Lefebvre, Luc. The Throwing Knives: The Northern Knives. 2019. Plate 101.

24 in :: 61 cm

InventoryID #13-940

SOLD