Dagger in Sheath
Tubu-Daza, Chad
Iron, leather, crocodile skin
Late 19th / Early 20th century

The Tubu-Daza people, who are spread across Mali, Chad, and Niger, carried knives with a distinctive arrowhead-shaped iron pommel, which they affixed to short and long knives alike. These blades were made by the casted blacksmiths of the Tubu-Daza of Tibesti, Ennedi, and Wadai (Chad), yet many daggers of this type have made their way to faraway destinations like northern Nigeria and Somalia via a system of long distance trade by caravan.

Most knives of this type are described as arm daggers, which were worn in a sheath attached to the inner side of the left forearm by a loop, with the blade pointing to the elbow. The effectiveness of the arm dagger comes from it being concealed and being able to be drawn quickly. This piece is likely too large to have been worn on the forearm, and could have been worn on the upper arm pointing down or elsewhere, suspended by the loops on the sheath; but regardless, it was almost certainly designed to be used as a concealed weapon. These hidden daggers were worn by men and women alike.

The Tubu (Toubou) are studied in two groups: the Teda and the Daza (Dazagra). They are believed to share a common origin and speak two closely related languages (Ginzberg, African Forms, 2000; Spring, African Arms and Armor, 1993; Tirri, Islamic and Native Weapons of Colonial Africa, 2007; Westerdijk, African Metal Implements, 1984). 

19 in :: 48 cm

InventoryID #13-1188

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