Asymmetrical Dagger
Beja / Hadendoa, Eritrea / Sudan
Iron, wood
19th century

The Hadendoa live in Eritrea and in adjacent areas of the Sudan. In addition to the broad sword kaskara a Hadendoa man would carry his own dagger, Yemeni-style, on the front of his waist in a small sheath attached to a broad belt. The wood or horn hilts are distinctive with their flaring quillons (Spring, African Arms and Armor, 1993).

While this blade might seem somewhat simple, it came from an old collection and lived with some very special knives for generations. The collection was that of Rev. Dr. Earle Monteith Macphail of Edinburgh (1861 - 1937), and two of six blades acquired alongside this one can be seen here and here. 

11.75 :: 30 cm

InventoryID #13-1919

SOLD