Halberd Prestige Axe
Shona, Zimbabwe
Iron, wood, brass
Early 20th century

This distinctive slot axe is light, and without a sharpened blade, it is clearly not functional. It is evidently an object of status or prestige.

An interesting post from the website HillsCollectibles.com cites a Zimbabwean website, The Patriot, with this description, viewable here: 

"According to the Shona people, Gano, also known as humbwa or tsomho, is a cultural and utility axe. It is smaller and lighter than the normal axe. The gano is very popular during cultural festivals or religious ceremonies as it comes handy during accompanying dances. It served as a symbol of cultural and spiritual prestige.

The battleaxe, gano…has become, in more recently made ornamental versions, the identifying mark of the Shona spirit medium, mhondoro, whose duty is to protect the chief and his family. Ritual specialists, nganga, also carry this axe. More broadly, the gano symbolises the legitimate ownership of the land and is therefore used in modern ceremonies to denote the [Zimbabwe] nation’s independence”   

25.5 in :: 65 cm

InventoryID #13-2414

Price on Request