Catch ax
| Catch ax | |
|---|---|
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| Information | |
| Weapon type: | Axe |
| Designations: | Fang language of the Pangwe: Ovunebokui |
| Use: | Weapon, battle ax, professional weapon |
| Region of origin / author: |
western / central Africa : Equatorial Guinea , Gabon and Cameroon , ethnic group of the Pangwe |
| Distribution: | Africa |
| Overall length: | about 40 to 50 cm |
| Material: | Blade: steel |
| Handle: | Wood |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Fang ax is a battle ax of the West African people of the Pangwe, who belong to the Fang linguistic family and live in what is now Equatorial Guinea , Gabon and Cameroon . The Pangwe's own name for the ax is ovunebokui , which means "ax of the pygmies".
description
The ovunebokui has a hatchet-like, single-edged blade, wedge-shaped with a convex cutting edge and curved edges. The blade is made of steel, the shape shows the origin of earlier stone axes.
The blade has a tang in the upper flattened shaft of the handle, which is round in the lower area. The shaft is made of wood and is slightly curved.
This ax is used by the Pangwe ethnic group. A tusk sheath with a strap is used for carrying. Günther Tessmann states in his report on the Pangw expedition in 1913 that it was "only found in the catch, especially in the southern and only a few pieces". He does not provide any further information on the origin of the name "ax of the pygmies". The pygmy tribes like the Baka who live with the Pangwe have no battle axes. Today's museum objects of this ax also show additional decorative elements such as handles wrapped with brass wire and may also have been given the function of a decorative hatchet and status symbol.
literature
- Günther Tessmann : The Pangwe. Ethnological monograph of a West African Negro tribe. Results of the Lübeck Pangwe expedition 1907–09 and earlier research 1904–1907. Volume 2. Ernst Wasmuth, Berlin 1913, pp. 246–248 (Figs. 81 and 82), decorations on battle axes: p. 271 (Fig. 223, Figs. 13–17).
- Manfred A. Zirngibl, Alexander Kubetz: Panga na visu. Handguns, forged cult objects and shields from Africa. HePeLo-Verlag, Riedlhütte 2009, ISBN 978-3-9811254-2-9 , p. 89 (Fig. 183, 184).