Zulu War Souvenir: An African Hide Shield and Knobkerrie

*Zulu War Souvenir: An African Hide Shield and Knobkerrie*

These were likely brought back from the Zulu war as a souvenir.

An oval Zulu “Ihawu” hide shield and knobkerrie. A cow hide shield (known as isihlangu, ihawu or ingubha in Zulu) with two rows of cuts. 62cm x 42.5cm

Knobkerrie club – 76cm long. Carved from a single piece with darker wood embellishments in the grip. Looks like two birds going head to head. It has a metal disc in the head of approx 2cm and a brass pin in the rear of the larger “bird”.

Traditionally, Zulu men always carried a knobkierrie, a club used for hunting by throwing it at animals or for striking an enemy in combat. The term “knobkierrie” comes from the Afrikaans words knop (meaning ball or knot) and kierrie (meaning cane or walking stick). Knobkierries were not exclusive to the Zulu people; they were also used as weapons by the Nguni and Xhosa communities.

*Condition*
The shield is in excellent condition given its likely age and service. It is missing one of the shield grips. The Knobkerrie is also in good condition with some splits to the wood. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.

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