African weapons

What did the Malian army look like the must have had medievil level armies to avoid being conquerd by arabs and control the trade

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Kind of like this.

Logistics was very difficult, nonetheless they could field 1000s of cavalry, many with cotton armor. Like padded cloth it could stop an arrow at long range and reduce the effect of most strikes. It was held loosely off the skin to allow heat to escape.

These are Kano Hausa warriors

More pictures/info on African weapons/soldiers please lads. Shit's interesting as heck

Mambele sickle sword versus Manding Sabre Part 2

youtube.com/watch?v=vbJ6YGAQDQ4

Mambele sickle sword

manding sabre

Koummya from North Africa. Part of the Pitt Rivers Museum Founding Collection. Given to the Museum in 1884.


The koummya is a curved dagger used by Muslim peoples of North Africa, particularly in Morocco. The curved blade shape does more than just deliver a slashing cut; it is shaped to resemble the tusk of a boar, an animal that responds aggressively when threatened and can protect against the Evil Eye.


The distinctive 'peacock'-shaped pommel provides protection for the back of the hand and the two protrusions from the sheath were used to hang the weapon from its wearer's baldric (leather or silk sash). Interestingly, the silver and red decoration only appears on the side visible when worn at the hip, emphasising this dagger's display value.

This is sulke (shirt) of mail from Kano, a city in Nigeria. It is of good quality with a leather collar and thongs and riveted links. In mass-produced armour, links were commonly butted together, which made for a faster method of manufacture but left the mail surface substantially weaker. The sulke was worn over quilted armour and the split down the front may be evidence of damage, as suggested by its collector, or it may be an intentional feature to make it more comfortable to wear on horseback.


It is likely that this piece was worn by a member of the Sokoto Caliphate cavalry, known as the yan lifida. The Caliphate had been founded in the early 1800s and was one of the most powerful empires in sub-Saharan Africa prior to European conquest and colonisation. Yan lifida were an elite force that served as the emir's bodyguard. Mail continued to be worn in Nigeria until the 20th century, although it was not manufactured there. Instead it was probably traded from the Islamic polities in the Sahel (the boundary strip across Africa separating the Sahara form the more fertile south).


Kano is the cultural capital of the Hausa people. The Hausa believed iron to be intimately related to the forces of life and death and thus dangerous in the wrong hands. Blacksmiths therefore formed a respected 'clan' within Hausa society and were considered as important as midwives, overseeing the delicate smelting process, using 'male' bellows and a 'female' furnace.

If you want to read more about African military in pre colonial time, read Warfare in Atlantic Africa, 1500-1800, by John Thorton

Lame del corno d'Africa

swords called 'hwi' from Dahomey (now Benin) in west Africa coast

That handle looks uncomfortable

Edo (Africa)
Nigeria
Benin Kingdom

Yoruba origin, from Ibadan

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Zaire
Belgian Congo
Aruwimi District (uncertain)

Sudan

Ashanti sword

Zaire
Kasai District
Belgian Congo

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The billao is a Somali sword that was used in close quarters during the Scramble for Africa by the Dervish against the British, Somalis were the last independent African Muslim nation and fought one of the longest colonial wars in history for 20 years

The Ashanti Akrafena sword as an Ashanti City-State national symbol was used by the Asantehene in taking the oath of office as ruler of Ashanti City-State. The Omanhene used the Ashanti Akrafena sword to swear the oath of allegiance to the Asantehene and Ashanti City-State.[4] The Ashanti Akrafena sword is one of the four principal state swords of the Ashanti City-State. The first Ashanti Akfrafena sword was created by Asantehene Nana Opoku Ware I (r. 1731 – 1742), and is the foremost example of Akrafena. The mpomponsuo sword symbolizes Responsibility, Power, Loyalty, Bravery, and Authority.[4]

Whoa

It was a ceremonial sword?

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Looks kinda like a gladius

Judging from how elaborate and unwieldy they appear, I'm fairly sure most of the swords being posted are ceremonial

Beautiful.

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(Obviously) ceremonial sword

That's a really interesting handle!

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I didn't understand a word you said Op but the arabs had guns when they invaded if you're referring to the Morocco conquest around 1400s or so.

Real crazy shit was when I read somewhere about Mansa Munsa telling Arabs in Mecca or Egypt he was dealing with his own Mongolian Horde - in his case a bunch of black equestrian nomads in the Sahel/Savannah who used poisoned arrows. I can't find the name of them, though.

great thread, thanks for the contributions everyone

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Fine Sword of the Luba, Complete with Scabbard

Damn great pics, they literally all look like fantasy or anime shit.

how much would those cutouts affect the integrity of the blade?

idk

He was talking about the Mossi people

True but that was songhai not Mali.

Ceremonial swords are crazy man

Actually I don't think they would have much effect
I'm more concerned about the dent like cirlces on the edge of the lower part
or even more, the handle
>literally wat

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Maybe this is a stupid question, but how on Earth is it a good idea to have all these crazy fucking notches and corners in the blade? Is that not a recipe to just get it stuck after one swing?

It's a ceremonial sword, they're often more sophisticated and strange.

Yes, just look at late-stage european halberds as another example. They're not meant to be used, but to signify wealth and military might