ASHANTI SLAVER'S SWORD

19th century, made from a European machete. Unmarked 16 å?‰۝ s.e. blade which has been re shaped, with considerable original forging scale intact. Two piece horn scale grips with hooked form pommel to seat the hand maximizing the hacking motion. Grips showing small chip and age graining only. Slave raiding was all hand to hand combat often within confines of the hut or kral. The weapons needed were necessarily short. This example is made from a good cutlery quality machete, probably produced in Birmingham England. The blade is wedge section, requiring hand polishing to shape, as opposed to the flat stock rolled and maker stamped blades of the later part of the century. It probably dates to about 1860-70.