Sword
- Culture
- Ngala artist
- Date
- late 19th century–early 20th century
- Material
- Iron, wood, brass, and fiber
- Classification
- Arms & armor, metalwork
- Collection
- Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 22 x 6 in. (55.9 x 15.2 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Morton D. May
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 307:1983
NOTES
This axe consists of a copper-covered wood handle and three iron struts attached to a blade. Three embossed heads appear on the viewer's side of the axe with two more on the opposite side. The heads may represent masks used in Songye festivals, or they may symbolize peoples who were conquered by the Songye. Ceremonial weapons such as this one symbolized high office and were solely the property of chiefs.
The asymmetrical sword made by a Ngala artisan is related to the throwing knives of the Banza people. The Ngala simply adapted the form for their own use. Swords such as this one symbolized the power of chiefs and were used to execute prisoners who had been judged to be enemies of the state. The executioner would fasten the convict's head to a bent tree branch and, after decapitation, the head would be catapulted into the forest.
Provenance
by 1974 - 1983
Morton D. May (1914–1983), St. Louis, MO, USA [1]
1983 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Morton D. May [2]
Notes:
[1] This object arrived to the Museum in 1974 on long-term loan from Morton D. May [SLAM document files].
[2] In a letter dated February 17, 1983, Morton D. May offered this object as a gift to the Museum [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, February 23, 1983.
Morton D. May (1914–1983), St. Louis, MO, USA [1]
1983 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Morton D. May [2]
Notes:
[1] This object arrived to the Museum in 1974 on long-term loan from Morton D. May [SLAM document files].
[2] In a letter dated February 17, 1983, Morton D. May offered this object as a gift to the Museum [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, February 23, 1983.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.