Beautiful Old Knife / Sceptre – Mbum – Nigeria

Forged iron. 51.2 cm high × 34.0 cm wide (21.77 in × 13.39 in). Weight: 590.9 g (20.84 oz).

The Mbum are an Adamawa‑speaking people of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Chad, historically known for their agricultural economy, distinctive aesthetic traditions, and sustained resistance to Fulbe incursions. Their throwing knives belong to the broader Central African weaponry repertoire, where forged iron objects served both martial and symbolic purposes—employed not only as projectiles in combat but also as prestige items and ritual emblems signifying authority and status.

m14