Kuba Currency Spear

While shield and spear were central to African combat, this example by the Kuba people of Central Africa was most likely made to serve as a piece of trade currency. Many pre-colonization African currencies were formed after objects of inherent value. This spear-form piece represented the vital need for metal weaponry in tribal warfare. Forged as a broadleaf spear, the sculptural form contrasts its violent potential by invoking an image of peaceful branches swaying in the wind.