120 Years in 120 Objects

Join the KwaZulu-Natal Museum in celebrating the museum’s 120^th year of orbiting the sun. Staff and guest curators have chosen one object or item per year of our existence to highlight to the public. Visit the website and our social media platforms regularly to see the latest object and keep an eye out for information about a physical exhibition later this year!

Today’s Object is from 1906

Japanese glaives by Bernhard Zipfel Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa and Ghilraen Laue, Curator of Special Collections

The KwaZulu-Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, houses a small collection of edged weapons from outside of Africa. This collection includes Kukri knives from India, Dha knives from Burma and swords from Europe. Included in this collection are a pair of Japanese “pole arms”, more specifically, naginata or glaives. These items are some of the few known Japanese artefacts within the museum's collection and give a rare glimpse into Japanese weaponry. A signature was identified on one of the naginata, identifying it as "Tadayuki, Guardian of Settsu province," a renowned swordsmith associated with Setsu province during the Shinto era (1596-1781). However, further investigation reveals discrepancies in the signature compared to known swordsmiths bearing the same name. The study concludes that the signature is likely a gimei (counterfeit inscription), common in antique items but probably still of Edo period (1600-1868) vintage. The naginata were accessioned into the collection in 1906, but there is very little information on how they were acquired. They probably made their way to the museum through British officials who travelled to the Natal colony in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The presence of these Japanese weapons in the KwaZulu-Natal Museum collection remains a captivating mystery, offering a glimpse into the interconnectedness of global historical narratives and the allure of cultural artefacts in unexpected locations.

One of the two Naginata in the KZN Museum collection a.) left and right views, b.) collar (habaki), c.) scabbard (saya) d.) bronze distal end (tsukekanamono), e.) proximal wrap (kaburamaki) and f.) butt cap (ishizuki).