Artwork Page for Club (Knobkerrie)

Details / Information for Club (Knobkerrie)

Club (Knobkerrie)

late 1800s or early 1900s

Southern Africa, South Africa, Northern Ngun-style or Zulu-style maker

Medium
Wood
Measurements
Overall: 66 cm (26 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Dori and Daniel Rootenberg, Jacaranda Tribal, New York 2010.232
Public Domain
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Location
108B Southern African
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Did You Know?

The term knobkerrie refers to a characteristic spherical knob of wood or head atop a cylindrical shaft.

Description

Relatively short sticks historically used for hunting and fighting are customarily called knobkerries. A combination of Afrikaans and Shona words, the name refers to the characteristic spherical knob of wood (knop) or head atop a cylindrical shaft (kirri). The knobs on these were carved into a tight whorl and a compressed sphere with a central rib. Even though their basic shapes were derived from real weapons, many of these precious objects were rarely if ever used as such. Highly personal, they instead functioned as ceremonial display items or regalia, symbolizing the masculinity and prowess of their owner.
A polished reddish-brown wood club features a long, slender shaft that narrows toward a base marked by a small circular hole. The club is crowned with a heavy, bulbous head shaped like a flattened sphere with a flat top. Deep wood tones transition to warm orange highlights across the lustrous surface of the head, which sits prominently atop the tapered handle.

Club (Knobkerrie)

late 1800s or early 1900s

Southern Africa, South Africa, Northern Ngun-style or Zulu-style maker

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