South African Zulu Ceremonial Carved Rhinoceros Horn Prestige Knobkerrie or Sceptre

Period: 1800-1900

Medium: Rhinoceros Horn

Dimension: 42.5 cm (16³/₄ inches)

Literature: Rhinoceros horn knobkerries were regarded as an essential part of a Zulu chief’s regalia functioning as a symbol of his personal dignity. They were not used as weapons, but carried or held ceremonially as insignia of rank and status. They were preserved as important heirlooms amongst the Zulu and transmitted through the generations. They still carry an aura of ancestral symbolism.