unknown Saka, Ngandu
Congolese Primary

Short Sword/Prestige Knife

First half 20th century

14 9/16 in. x 3 3/4 in. x 1 9/16 in. (37 cm x 9.5 cm x 4 cm)

This object has the following keywords:

• African - Refers to the cultures of the continent of Africa, which is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.
• Congolese - Nationality, styles, and cultures of the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• knives - Cutting instruments consisting of a blade with a sharpened longitudinal edge fixed in a handle, either rigidly as in a table-, carving, or sheath-knife, or with a joint as in a pocket- or clasp-knife. Knives may be used to cut food, especially in serving and eating, as weapons, and for other purposes. The blade may be of steel or another metal or stone, as in the flint knives of early man, or of another material such as ivory or wood (as with a paperknife). The term also refers to tools that are shaped or used as knives, even if the edge is not particularly sharp or actually used for cutting.