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Source Description
Throwing knives (<em>pingha</em>, plural <em>kipinga</em>) were historically used by elite Zande men as weapons in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Carefully calibrated, they would spin when thrown or balance on the shoulder when taken into battle. Kipinga were not everyday weapons, but considered property of the king; only those fighting on his behalf like royal bodyguards and court attendants used them. One side of this blade is adorned with complex figural and geometric engravings. No longer used for fighting<em>, </em>kipinga are now a sign of authority and heritage.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
86483
label
Throwing Knife / Prestige Scepter (pingha)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
86483
contentType
object
title
Throwing Knife / Prestige Scepter (pingha)
description
Throwing knives (<em>pingha</em>, plural <em>kipinga</em>) were historically used by elite Zande men as weapons in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Carefully calibrated, they would spin when thrown or balance on the shoulder when taken into battle. Kipinga were not everyday weapons, but considered property of the king; only those fighting on his behalf like royal bodyguards and court attendants used them. One side of this blade is adorned with complex figural and geometric engravings. No longer used for fighting<em>, </em>kipinga are now a sign of authority and heritage.
date
1800–mid-1900s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79473077
genreSpecific
Arms and Armor
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 45.5 cm (17 15/16 in.)
cul
Africa, Central or Eastern Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, and Sudan, Zande-style maker
accession
2015.156
Source extras
tec
Iron alloy and plant fiber
tombstone
Throwing Knife / Prestige Scepter (pingha), 1800–mid-1900s. Africa, Central or Eastern Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, and Sudan, Zande-style maker. Iron alloy and plant fiber; overall: 45.5 cm (17 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Donna L. and Robert H. Jackson, 2015.156
collection
African Art
didYouKnow
Look closely at the upper blade of this throwing knife to find a representation of a lizard, and at the lower part of the shaft for a crosshatch design resembling lizard skin.
creditline
Gift of Donna L. and Robert H. Jackson
updatedAt
2026-05-29 04:58:36.631000
sourceId
86483
dept
African Art
coll
African Art
med
Iron alloy and plant fiber
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
dac30a45fb51ccac