Collection record · Everyday wonders
Throwing Knife / Prestige Scepter (pingha)
The collection record classifies this work as arms and armor. It is dated 1800–mid-1900s. Recorded culture or place: Africa, Central or Eastern Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, and Sudan, Zande-style maker.
Explore the object recordOBJECT RECORD
A closer look at the details.
- Museum title
- Throwing Knife / Prestige Scepter (pingha)
- Date
- 1800–mid-1900s
- Culture / origin
- Africa, Central or Eastern Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, and Sudan, Zande-style maker
- Materials and technique
- Iron alloy and plant fiber
- Dimensions
- Overall: 45.5 cm (17 15/16 in.)
- Artist / maker
- Not specified by the museum
- Museum
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Accession number
- 2015.156
FROM THE MUSEUM
In the museum’s words
The following description is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original English record.
Throwing knives (pingha, plural kipinga) 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, kipinga are now a sign of authority and heritage.
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Text and image sources
The Cleveland Museum of Art · Gift of Donna L. and Robert H. Jackson · CC0
The summary is based on public collection data. Refer to the museum’s latest record for the title, date and attribution.
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