Cleveland Museum of Art

Club (Knobkerrie)

Date

late 1800s or early 1900s

Medium

Wood

Culture

Southern Africa, South Africa, Northern Ngun-style or Zulu-style maker

Department

African Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Relatively short sticks historically used for hunting and fighting are customarily called knobkerries. A combination of Afrikaans and Shona words, the name refers to the characteristic spherical knob of wood (knop) or head atop a cylindrical shaft ( kirri ). The knobs on these were carved into a tight whorl and a compressed sphere with a central rib. Even though their basic shapes were derived from real weapons, many of these precious objects were rarely if ever used as such. Highly personal, they instead functioned as ceremonial display items or regalia, symbolizing the masculinity and prowess of their owner. The term knobkerrie refers to a characteristic spherical knob of wood or head atop a cylindrical shaft.

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