The leadership arts of Owo, an ancient Yoruba town, reflect those of Benin, the Edo kingdom that dominated Owo in the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. This ceremonial sword and sheath (udamalore) and the matching lozenge-shaped panels (apete) recall the chiefly regalia illustrated on Benin brass plaques of the sixteenth and seventeenth ...

Tutankhamun’s mummy was provided with two daggers encased in gold sheaths, one with an iron blade and the other with a blade of hardened gold. It is the latter specimen ceremonial Egyptian dagger which is shown here. The handle is exquisitely decorated with gold granulation and glass inlays and is fitted with a knob of rock crystal.

Like their martial counterparts, ceremonial daggers and swords were also often decorated with talismanic motifs and inscriptions. The blade of this dagger bears Arabic inscriptions praising Allah, ‘Ali, and the Prophet Muhammad. One side features verses from the popular prayer Nad-i …

Along with its sheath, this ceremonial dagger was a royal gift from king Ahmose to his mother Ahhotep, in whose burial it was discovered. The blade decorated with a typically Aegean technique but Egyptian iconography, bears the titulary of the king on one side and a hunting scene on the other side.

Ceremonial swords with elaborate beaded sheaths and hilts are the prerogative of Yoruba kings and high-ranking chiefs in the Owo region. On the face of this sheath is a horse and rider, a symbol of power and prestige, while its overhanging flaps feature hunters holding rifles and a man wearing a European-style hat.

Elaborately adorned ceremonial swords known as 'udamalore' comment upon the exalted status of high-ranking Owo chiefs. The delicately carved ivory sword is housed in an intricately beaded sheath and worn horizontally on the left hip during yearly festivals.

Along with its sheath, this ceremonial dagger was a royal gift from king Ahmose to his mother Ahhotep, in whose burial it was discovered. The blade decorated with a typically Aegean technique but Egyptian iconography, bears the titulary of the king on one side and a hunting scene on the other side.

Among the Shona, the bakatwa is a double-edged sword used in religious ceremonies, distinguished by its blade - double-edged with one half being darkly colored - and its sheath (hara) made of two pieces of wood that are beautifully bound together with brass wire.

Unidentified Ceremonial Sword and Sheath (udamalore) circa 19th-20th century

The bakatwa is a double-edged sword used in religious ceremonies, distinguished by its blade - double-edged with one half being darkly colored - and its sheath (hara) made of two pieces of wood that are beautifully bound together with brass wire.