Prestige Sword Known As Hwi - Benin, Fon Culture, Second Half Of The 19th To Early 20th Century

Prestige saber known as a Hwi - Benin, Fon culture, second half of the 19th to early 20th century. Within the Fon culture of the former Kingdom of Dahomey (sometimes called Abomey), this type of saber was worn as a badge of rank by high-ranking court dignitaries. The handle is made of fluted wood wrapped with brass wire and encircled at the top and bottom by a brass ferrule. The pommel is a brass ball with repoussé work. The guard is made of thick brass wire wound in spirals. The single-edged, unsharpened blade features an openwork decoration of a man with scarified cheeks, crossed hands, and outstretched arms. Beneath this figure, on one side of the blade, a man lies, seemingly dead, and on the other, a snake is depicted. This enigmatic scene may be linked to a ceremony of transmission or resurrection. In Fon culture, the snake is historically associated with the royal dynasty and symbolizes renewal and transformation. This saber is undoubtedly one of the finest examples known. Weight 733g Length 64cm Blade length 48.5cm Some fine examples of this type of saber are preserved and exhibited, among other places, at the small royal staff museum in Abomey-Calavi (Benin) and at the Quai Branly Museum (Paris).