Lightning (weapons)

It is believed that lightning appeared on the territory of Sudan around 1000 BC. e. Although in Libya there are similar images dating back to 1350 BC. e. It is believed that it comes from a slightly bent throwing stick ( boomerang ) that was usually worn on the shoulder. At the same time, sticks with one lateral process were most effective and convenient for carrying on the shoulder. Then additional protrusions and teeth were added. Such wooden throwing blades served as military weapons in the kingdom of Born. Iron options were massively used nowhere. ^[one]

“Winged” South African varieties of lightning were used massively to “shell” the opposing enemy group (about ten meters). Threw herself horizontally. At the same time, a large surface area of ​​the blades provided the rotating weapon with a planning flight (as in a non-returning boomerang). The most effective way to withstand horizontally flashing lightning was dodging and jumping, as once it hit the shield, it could hit by clinging to the edge of the shield, the owner of the shield or, bouncing, to get into a standing warrior. Such lightning was not cut in melee. When throwing vertically or in rod-shaped (F-shaped) species from the north of Africa, there was no planning effect. But there are almost no facts of using F-shaped lightning as a throwing weapon (only Sarah has a ngalio).

European travelers ( Georg Schweinfurt , Dybowski) left conflicting opinions about the effectiveness of this weapon. There is also a message that although they carried lightning with them (rather, like a ceremonial weapon), they tried to use it in business only as a last resort in order to avoid losing an expensive item. There is an indication that only the Ngapu tribe (in the area between Welle and Lake Chad) used them after using up all the spears and arrows. For this, each of the soldiers on the shield handle was attached from three to six lightnings (Dybovsky). ^[2] 2-3 lightnings on the central disk of the shield hung the azandeh, and Chadian and more western tribes wore them in special covers.

In the West there are many collections of lightning. But such collections suffer from a lack of accurate scientific documentation of the origin of the exhibits. Until recently, little was known of this weapon in Russia. Although still a Russian traveler of the 19th century, V.V. Juncker , in his rather famous book "Traveling through Africa", he sketched several similar objects, which he called "gangata." Mentioned him in the novel "On the Edge of the Oikumena" I. A. Efremov . There are also several copies on display at the St. Petersburg Kunstkamera . The absence of a corresponding term in the Russian language gave Dmitry Samoilov an occasion to propose the name “lightning” in his article, which is a translation of the term adopted by a number of tribes. Although the word "ping" is also somewhat settled down, as it was given in the encyclopedic directory "Africa". Weaponsmen use the term "throwing iron" or Gooi Yster .

Distant analogues of lightning can be considered European herbates and some halberd tomahawks .

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• Lightning Collection
• From Congo
• Hunga Munga (English) of the people of zaghawa , East. Chad and app. Sudan
• Four lightnings
• Onzil from Gabon
• Kpinga of the people of Azande, Sudan
• Zungan dowi, or “ Cocks tail” from Sudan
• A few more instances
• Christian Warnke (Vortrag, Herbsttagung des Vereins der Freunde Afrikanischer Kultur, Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen): Afrikanische Wurfeisen - soziale, wirtschaftliche und kulturelle Funktion - GO-2008HT-09; Christian Warnke; 2008 (English)