Most of the time when one sees a movie or a graphic picture of an African Warrior he is always accompanied by his trusty spear which even yielded the derogatory nick name "spear chucker." Ironically, they forget that many great civilizations such as Egypt and Nubia made use of the spear along with societies and civilizations outside of the African continent including Europe! Not to say there is anything wrong with it but a quick glance into any of the old African civilizations will reveal a wide variety of weapons that are down right intimidating and fascinating. And not only did African societies wield a wide array and variety of weapons they were also the earliest metallurgists as well. Below are a collection of pictures which display the diversity of weapons throughout Africa. Enjoy.
 |
| AKAN "AFENA" SWORD |
This sword, with white and offerings on it, is called an "Okomfo Afena". It was used by shrine priests.
 | |||
| AKAN "AFENA" SWORD |
 | ||
| Benin Sword |
 |
| Akrafena Sword |
Akrafena (Akan sword) is an Akan sword, that was originally meant for warfare, but has also assumed other certain functions. They carry adinkra symbols that evoke specific messages. The sword has three parts: a blade, usually made of some metal such as iron; the hilt, made of carved wood or metal; and the sheath, usually made of animal hide. The blade in ritual swords may not have a sharp cutting edge. It often has incised lines or Akan symbolic designs on it. Some swords have double (afenata) or triple (mfenasa) blades. The hilt may be wrapped with gold leaf with various Akan symbols worked onto it. The hilt itself may be carved to encode an Akan symbol. The sheath may carry an embossment (abosodee) that comprises Akan symbols meant to evoke certain expressive messages. The mpomponsuo (responsibility) sword of the Asantehene, for example, has an embossment of a coiled snake with a bird in its mouth. This conveys the Akan message: nanka bobonya mede asase anya onwam – the puff adder that cannot fly has caught the hornbill that flies. This is used to symbolize patience, prudence, and circumspection.
 |
| Kuba Ikul Sword or Knife |
 |
| Tuareg Sword |
 |
| Ancient Egyptian Khopesh Sword |
Khopesh (ḫpš; also vocalized khepesh) is an Egyptian sickle-sword that evolved from battle axes.[1]
A typical khopesh is 50–60 cm (20–24 inches) in length, though smaller examples do also exist. This blade was designed for hooking an opponent's shield or disarming them.[citation needed] These weapons changed from bronze to iron in the New Kingdom period.[citation needed]
The blade is only sharpened on the outside portion of the curved end. The khopesh evolved from the epsilon or similar crescent shaped axes that were used in warfare.[1] Note, however, that the khopesh is not an axe. Unlike an axe, the khopesh did not make push-cuts, but rather slashes, like a sabre. The khopesh went out of use around 1300 BC. However, in the 196 BC Rosetta Stone it is referenced as the "sword" determinative in a hieroglyphic block, with the spelled letters of kh, p, and sh to say:
Shall be set up a statue..., the Avenger of Baq-t-(Egypt), the interpretation where of is 'Ptolemy, the strong one of Kam-t'-(Egypt), and a statue of the god of the city, giving to him a sword royal of victory,
Various pharaohs are depicted with a khopesh, and some have been found in royal graves, such as the two examples found with Tutankhamen.
Although some examples are clearly sharpened, many examples have dull edges which apparently were never intended to be sharp. It may therefore be possible that some khopeshes found in high status graves were ceremonial variants.
 |
| Sudanese Kaskara Sword |
The Kaskara (Kas ka Ra ) was a type of sword characteristic of Sudan and Chad. The blade of the kaskara was usually about a yard long, double edged and with a spatulate tip. While most surviving examples are from the 19th century, the type is believed to have originated around the early 14th century, and may represent a localized survival of the straight, double-edged medieval Arab sword. The kaskara was worn horizontally across the back or between the upper arm and thorax. According to British Museum curator Christopher Spring, "in the central and eastern Sudan, from Chad through Darfur and across to the Red Sea province, the straight, double-edged swords known as kaskara were an essential possession of most men.
 |
| Takoba sword |
Takoba (also takuba or takouba) is
the sword that is used across the western Sahel and among ethnic groups
such as the Tuareg, the Hausa, the Fulani. It usually measures about one
meter in length. Takoba blades are straight and double edged with a
pronounced tapering towards the tip; they can exhibit several notable
features, including three or more hand-ground fuller grooves and a
rounded point. Traditionally a Tuareg weapon, it is also used among
other peoples Hausa and the Fulani. Takoba were also commonly
manufactured in Hausa city states such as Kano.
Since the Tuareg have an aversion to touching iron, the takoba's hilt, like many iron implements, is fully covered. Typically the simple but deep cross guard is of iron sheet, or iron-framed wood, covered in tooled leather, occasionally it is sheathed in brass or silver; the grip is also often leather-covered but the pommel is always of metal, often, brass or copper, sometimes iron or silver. Alternatively the whole hilt can be covered in brass or silver sheathing. The scabbard is made of elaborately-tooled leather. Geographical variations in the form of the hilt have been noted, but no rigorous typology has been established. Variations in the quality of blade and fittings on takobas probably mostly reflect the wealth of their owners.
There is much debate about whether the takoba was used only by the imúšaɣ or warrior class or whether it could be borne by vassals.
As with most crafted items used by the Tuareg, takoba are crafted by the ìnhædʻæn (singular énhædʻ) caste, who are of a different ethnicity from the imúšaɣ and speak Ténet, a secret language. The imúšaɣ believe that theìnhædʻæn have magical powers, which some theorize to be associated with their traditional roles as metalworkers and to the imúšaɣ aversion to both metalworking and touching iron.
Since the Tuareg have an aversion to touching iron, the takoba's hilt, like many iron implements, is fully covered. Typically the simple but deep cross guard is of iron sheet, or iron-framed wood, covered in tooled leather, occasionally it is sheathed in brass or silver; the grip is also often leather-covered but the pommel is always of metal, often, brass or copper, sometimes iron or silver. Alternatively the whole hilt can be covered in brass or silver sheathing. The scabbard is made of elaborately-tooled leather. Geographical variations in the form of the hilt have been noted, but no rigorous typology has been established. Variations in the quality of blade and fittings on takobas probably mostly reflect the wealth of their owners.
There is much debate about whether the takoba was used only by the imúšaɣ or warrior class or whether it could be borne by vassals.
As with most crafted items used by the Tuareg, takoba are crafted by the ìnhædʻæn (singular énhædʻ) caste, who are of a different ethnicity from the imúšaɣ and speak Ténet, a secret language. The imúšaɣ believe that theìnhædʻæn have magical powers, which some theorize to be associated with their traditional roles as metalworkers and to the imúšaɣ aversion to both metalworking and touching iron.
 |
| Mangbetu sword |
Ethiopian shotel sword
A shotel is a curved sword originating in Abyssinia (ancient Ethiopia). It looks very much like the Near Eastern scimitars. The curve on the shotel's blade varies from the Persian shamshir, adopting an almost semicircular shape. The blade is flat and double-edged with a diamond cross-section. The blade is about 40 inches (1,000 mm) in total length and the hilt is a simple wooden piece with no guard. The shotel was carried in a close fitting leather scabbard.
History
A shotel is a curved sword originating in Abyssinia (ancient Ethiopia). It looks very much like the Near Eastern scimitars. The curve on the shotel's blade varies from the Persian shamshir, adopting an almost semicircular shape. The blade is flat and double-edged with a diamond cross-section. The blade is about 40 inches (1,000 mm) in total length and the hilt is a simple wooden piece with no guard. The shotel was carried in a close fitting leather scabbard.
History
Evidence for the shotel dates from the earliest Damotians (Damites) and Axumites, used by both mounted and dismounted warriors. After the Solomonic restoration of Atse Yikuno Amlak I, the resurgent Emperors began to re-establish the Axumite armies. This culminated in the reign of Amda Seyon I. Ethiopian forces were armed with short and long swords such as the Seif and Gorade. The Shotel swordsmen known as Shotelai and organized in the Axurarat Shotelai comprised one of the elite forces of Amda Seyon's Imperial host. Along with the Hareb Gonda and Korem cavalry, Keste Nihb archers and Axuarat Axuarai lancers were said to be the forces that "..flew through the air like the eagle and spun on the ground like the avalanche", by a contemporaneous historian.[citation needed] Shotel techniques among others included hooking attacks both against mounted and dismounted opponents that had devastating effect especially against mounted cavalry. The shotel could be used to hook and rip the warrior off the horse. Classically the Shotel was employed in a dismounted state to hook the opponent by reaching around a shield or any other defensive implement or weapon.
Design
Its shape is similar to a big sickle and can be effectively used to reach around an opponent's shield and stab them in vital areas, such as the kidneys or lungs. It is closely resembled by the Afar Gile. The Gile has two cutting edges, while the shotel's upper edge is unsharpened and sometimes used braced against the swordsman's shield for strength. The Shotel and other Ethiopian swords are occasionally referred collectively in Geez as Han'e.
In northern Africa chain mail for medieval cavalry troops was common. Way back in ancient times Nubia manufactured both armor and chariots (Morkot 2003).
In West Africa the record shows cavalry units of such hegemons as Mali, Songhai, Oyo, Bornu using both chain mail and iron helmets. Among the Fulani-Hausa armies of Sokoto, both horse and rider were shielded. The horse was generally covered by quilted cotton, stuffed with kapok fiber, and its rider generally rode into battle with finely wrought chain mail, or heavy quilted armor.
The chain mail armor showed similarities to Mameluke design, but the quilting combined local invention with religious inspiration. Local armorers sew tightly rolled wads of paper inscribed with
Quranic verses into the layers of cotton, and kapok. Whatever their spiritual powers, they
could often blunt sword cuts, but were less effective against arrows.[35]
See African Military Systems-Wiki.
Quranic verses into the layers of cotton, and kapok. Whatever their spiritual powers, they
could often blunt sword cuts, but were less effective against arrows.[35]
See African Military Systems-Wiki.
 |
| Darfur Sudan |
Yoruba Helmets
No comments:
Post a Comment