Knives are highly prized icons of prestige for Kuba dignitaries. In fact Bushongo, the population from which the Kuba kings descend, derive their name from the throwing knives for which they were famous. Daggers such as the three on view could be owned by any free Kuba man. They were never used as weapons but were carried as elements of a man’s elaborate ceremonial costume. The intricate tin inlay patterns adorning the wood handles of each blade would have fit within an overall set of dazzling designs that also appeared in metal, wood, and woven raffia textiles.