Ida (sword)
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(August 2023) |
| Ida | |
|---|---|
| Type | Sword |
| Place of origin | Nigeria |
TheIdais a kind of sword used by theYoruba peopleofWest Africa.[1][2]
It is a long sword with a narrow to wide blade and sheathe. The sword is sharp, and cuts on contact but typically begins to dull if not sharpened regularly. It can be single-edged or double-edged. These blades are typically heavier by the tip of the blade.
During wars, pepper and poison are added to it to paralyze anyone who is cut by the sword.[citation needed]It can be wielded in any way (either one-handed or two-handed). The Yoruba people use this sword for hunting, war and other uses. The blade of the sword is in an elongated leaf-shaped form. It is designed for cutting and hacking.
Production
[edit]The Yorubablacksmithswere among the most skilled in West Africa.[citation needed]They employed different techniques in the making of these Ida swords. They were involved in the mining and smelting of iron ore before 800 A.D.[3]This style of sword was also sometimes used by other surrounding peoples such as theBiniand theIgbo.
Variations
[edit] |
There were many other variations of the Idà. The Yoruba also used many other bladed-weapons.
Some of them were;
- Àdá — Used for clearing brush, fighting, or hunting. It is similar to a cutlass or machete. Rock carvings in Ife show that this sword has been used in Yorubaland since at least the 14th century.[citation needed]
- Ọ̀bẹ — Daggers carried by the Yoruba soldiers.
- Agẹ̀dẹ̀ngbẹ — Single-bladed and eccentrically curved. Also quite heavy.
- Tanmogayi — Similar to the sabre.
- Abara — A similar double-edged sword to the Idà, used by theIka peopleof Delta state, Nigeria.
- Asara — Also used by the Ika people, it is similar to the Ada.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^bp. Sammuel Adjai Crowther (1843).Vocabulary of the Benin Language: Part I. English and Benin. Part II. Yoruba and English. To which are Prefixed, the Grammatical Elements of the Yoruba Language.Oxford University (Church missionary society). p. 107.
- ^Suzanne Preston Blier (2015).Art and Risk in Ancient Yoruba: Ife History, Power, and Identity, ca. 1300.Cambridge University Press. p. 415.ISBN978-1-107-0216-62.
- ^"Ida Sword: The Leaf-Shaped African Sword".2022-12-03.Retrieved2023-11-03.
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