Two West African swords/cutlasses for I.D.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Martin Lubojacky

Maybe the Picture was taken by pinterest from this forum ? I bought these three swords in Nigeria - the top one in Lagos. This is very old one, heavy steel blade and I would say fighting weapon (slashing). The handle is made of wood with old iron mountings. The two made of brass are of Yoruba origin, from Ibadan

Reference;
A. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showt...ighlight=Ibadan


Salaams Martin Lubojacky ~ Indeed it seems they are the same picture and as is the Pinterest way they have simply been logged by an algorithm device. Your post directs readers to reference A and whet an excellent reference it is! I should at least try to add a few more pictures if I can find any... Yours seem to be the best .

Wikepedia adds The Ida is a kind of sword used by the Yoruba people of West Africa. It is a long sword with a narrow to wide blade and sheathe. The sword is sharp, and cuts on contact but typically begins to dull if not sharpened regularly. It can be single-edged or double-edged. These blades are typically heavier by the tip of the blade.

During wars, pepper and poison are added to it to paralyze anyone who is cut by the sword. It can be wielded in any way (either one-handed or two-handed). The Yoruba people use this sword for hunting, war and other uses. The blade of the sword is in an elongated leaf-shaped form. It is designed for cutting and hacking.