1: A very old ceremonial sword belonging to a chieftain of the Luba, from south-eastern Congo. With a typically shaped iron blade. A special feature of this piece is the Janus head (with its two faces) that crowns the sword’s wooden hilt. One side of this head of Janus is the face of a woman, the other — that of a bearded man. Captured in this representation is the ancestral tribal couple, as represented on ‘Kabeja’ ritual objects (cf cat. no. 99). Both the two faces and the overall execution of the Janus head are excellent examples of the best Luba art. Immensely impressive, moreover, is the visible old age of this piece. The blade is blackened with age and has an encrusted, shiny patina. Excellent and very old, shiny patina may also be observed along the length of the wooden hilt, alongside minor negligible damage: an insignificant side tear. The sheath is made of wood and of two sleeves bound together with rattan stripes. It was originally dyed black and has a carrying cord made of braided plant fibres. Overall an extraordinary object, thanks in particular to the hilt’s highly qualitative Janus head. L: 59 cm (sword out of sheath), 65 cm (sword in sheath). 19th century to around 1900.
2: A ritual or prestige knife of the Luba. After some 7 centimetres, the iron blade of this unusual and original piece splits in two parts, each of which tapers symmetrically in two tips outwardly. Along the respective inner blunt edges run simple decorative motifs. Engraved on both sides of the iron blade are the initials ‘L K’ — near the hilt, before the blade splits. To the side of the blade, three encircling grooves are incised into the hard, dark brown wood of the hilt. Cut into the other end are two diagonal hatched bands, where also a piercing is made to accommodate a carrying cord. The hilt, too, boasts a very nice and shiny patina, as well as two tears that are age-related: the result of the double knife’s protracted use: be the use of this curiously shaped object ritualistic (and if so, then belonging to which Luba cult?), it is as yet unknown. L: 37 cm, W: 22.3 cm (at the tips of the blades). First half of the 20th century. (ME)

Provenance: Belgian Private Collection.

Lit.: ‘Panga na visu’ by Zirngibl & Kubetz, ill. 513 (a chieftain’s dagger with only one head).