6 1/4" blade of flat section decorated with incised lines and raised medial. Wood hilt in two stages with tapered pommel-Stanley Pool form, but homogeneous and not weighted. Fine deep rich patina to both elements. The Tetela were slavers and would use sword, spear or both, depending on conditions, for a raid. Saleable captives were gathered for transport. The unsaleable, old, infirm or unable to survive the journey to market, were killed. This dagger would have been used for that purpose.
