Sickle Blade “Béro”

Origin: Ngombé Tribe, D.R. Congo
Composition: forged iron, wood, copper

This blade, called béro, is from the Ngombé tribe, who live in Northern D.R. Congo, near Azande territory. Some of the original designwork on the blade is still visible, and the two small holes were probably originally fitted with small copper discs, as an adornment and symbol of wealth (ref: Elsen, “De fer et de fierté”).

The photograph (left) depicts a Ngombé tribesman in the village of Ndobo, and is © Gallaut, The Royal Museum of Central Africa, Tervuren.