Beja Dagger
Available: $350 + Shipping
Beja Dagger
Beja / Hadendoa
Anglo -Egyptian Sudan ( Eastern Sudan)
Second quarter 20th century (ca. 1920 - 1945)
African blackwood, metal alloy, steel, leather
Blade: 19cm
Hilt & Blade: 29,2cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 30,5cm
Collection Date: 2016
Collection Number: 37
Ex. Late Lew Waldman Collection: Fayetteville, New York, USA (2016)
The traditional dagger of the Beja People, including the Hadendoa, Bisharin, Amarar, Beni-Amir, and other numerous subtribes coming from the Sudan and Eritrea region. This example is the curved blade variation, complete with its sheath and was produced in Eastern Sudan, likely in the areas of Khartoum, Kassala, Suakin, or Port Sudan.
The steel curved blade is double- edged with a medial ridge in its entirety. Both sides of the ricasso are engraved with linear decoration, while halfway down the length of the blade are engraved motifs.
African blackwood "X" fluted hilt with wrapped silver wire on the central grip and eight silver alloy buttons adorning the front side. Embossed red leather sheath with silver alloy throat and chape fittings bordered in filigree. A nice quality Beja dagger, complete example from the second quarter of the 20th century.
Photograph 14: A Beni Amir Tigre Man with a similar knife in his belt, Akordat, Eritrea, 1936.
[1] http://vikingsword.com/lew/w0225/w0225.html
[2] https://royalarmouries.org/collection/object/object-20005
[3] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=6217
[4] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=4486
[5] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=8428
[9] https://africanarms.com/gallery.html?hadendoa-dagger-28-cm