Axe, Songye, DR Congo Iron, wood, copper Height with stand: 31 cm Axes like this one were symbols of royal power in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Angola. These elaborate tools served as royal scepters, representing civilization, cultural achievement, and the esoteric knowledge of ironworking. Royal axes often featured highly decorated wooden handles, adorned with carved motifs, precious metals, or animal hides, reinforcing the rulers' dynastic connections and control over creation and transformation. This magnificent axe was originally a chiefly accoutrement owned by a Songye ruler. Its complex form and construction indicate that it was made by a master smith. The artisan worked with hot, malleable iron to create the axe head's overall form, including its angular corners, curving blade, and twisting metal struts. Once cooled, he used a hammer and chisel to decorate the blade surface with incised lines and circles. The faces that appear on both sides of the axe head were produced using this technique. The axe's massive handle matches the blade's solidity and scale. Its flared base and bulbous apex echo the blade's spreading curves, while the striking opulence of the copper sheeting counterbalances the visual complexity of the iron blade. Copper, a precious metal originating far to the south at the headwaters of the Zambezi River, was an expensive and rare material. Its extensive use in this piece not only beautifies it but also indicates the ruler's participation in and mastery over long-distance commerce. The axe is in pristine condition. It in mounted on a metal stand.