elawa
Dervish Kingdom - Darawiish - British Somaliland - Italian Somaliland (Somaliland - Puntland - Somalia - Ethiopia)
Somali Dervish
Late 19th - Early 20th century (ca. 1880 - 1910)
Steel, horn, zinc, iron
Blade: 15 7/8" (40.3cm)
Hilt & Blade: 25 1/8" (63.8cm)
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: - (cm)
Collection Date: 2019
Collection Number: 544

Ex. Belgian Art Market (2019)
Ex. Swedish Private Collection

An old example of the Somali belawa sword from the Horn of Africa during the Somali Dervish uprising period. Many examples were captured as war trophies in British Somaliland during the British war campaigns of Somaliland between the years 1899 and 1920.

The straight leaf shaped asymmetrical steel blade is double- edged with a central flat plane at the base that extends approximately 1/4 length of the blade before transitioning into a medial ridge for the remainder to the point. The hilt is carved from dark buffalo horn, closely stacked and layered with zinc spacers between. Iron ferrule. Three- pronged iron pommel with a central spike having cross- hatched designs on the end. An old and very good quality example in great condition. Uncommon sword.

Photograph 17: Postcard: Somali warrior in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, early 20th century.
Photograph 18: Postcard: Somali warrior, Published Cathjolic Mission of Somaliland 25, early 20th century.
Photograph 19: Somali weapons panoply, ca. 1920.

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[1] W. O. Oldman, “Illustrated Catalogue of Ethnographic Specimens”, List No. 87 Vol. vii.; Item No. 23 (15906)

‍[2] Spring, Christopher. 1993. “African Arms and Armor”. Page 105 – 106 (Info)

‍[3] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1979-01-5019

‍[4] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1979-01-4953

‍[5] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1933-1114-48-a

‍[6] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1928-0509-44

‍[7] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1928-0509-42

‍[8] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1947-16-170-a

‍[9] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=6234

‍[10] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=6144

‍[11] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=214

‍[12] https://galleryrider.com/index.php/african-art/archive/asymmetrical-blades/somali-short-sword-belawa

‍[13] https://africanarms.com/gallery.html?7-billao-sword-family

‍[14] https://africanarms.com/gallery.html?7-billao-belawa-somalia-58-5-cm

‍[15] https://vikingsword.com/lew/w0035/w0035.html

‍[16] https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/somali-somalia-region-of-the-horn-of-africa-71-c-ba045e0b83

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