Congo short sword

This is a large iron weapon with a very thick and weighty blade. It fits into a wide, rectangular wooden sheath covered with hide. The blade has a large open oval section where it joins the hilt, which is split by a central tang. The blade itself is split into three regular sections, roughly triangular, round, and then leaf-shaped. The hilt is crudely wire wrapped and decorated with brass studs. Many similar swords were made in the Congo region (see also NLC-1999-498).