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This information was automatically generated from data provided by MOA: University of British Columbia. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.

Description

Axe with copper-covered wooden handle with a rounded top and flared butt end, and a steel crescent-shaped blade with three supporting arms. The middle arm of the blade has four faces in low relief. The handle has indented decoration of small dots and two large circles.

History Of Use

Large, elaborately decorated axes are a status symbol for high-ranking men in several communities in central Africa, including the Kuba, Luba, and Songye. Their status is derived from the value placed on ironworking. It was a culturally important practice because of the plentiful iron ore deposits available in the region.

Cultural Context

ceremonial

Iconographic Meaning

The faces decorating the central arm of the axe blade may have been meant to represent the peoples subjugated or conquered by the wielder. The use of copper on the handle is also a sign of wealth, as copper was rarely accessible until the modern era.

Item History

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