Arm Dagger
Arm Dagger
Kanuri - Kanembu - Azande
Kanem- Borno Empire - Borno Emirate (Nigeria - Cameroon - Chad) - German Kamerun (Cameroon) - Wadai Sultanate (Chad - Central African Republic) - Sultanate of Darfur - Azande Kingdom - Mahdist Sudan (Sudan - South Sudan)
Late 19th century (ca. 1880 - 1900)
Steel, wood
Blade: 12 3/4" (32.4cm)
Hilt & Blade: 17 1/4" (43.8cm)
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -
Collection Date: 2019
Collection Number: 56
Ex. Belgian Pravate Collection (2019)
A unique style of arm dagger originating from the region stretching between Lake Chad and Southern Sudan. The precise origin is yet to be determined but a very similar dagger located at the Pitt Rivers Museum attributes this type to the Kanuri People of the Nigeria around the old Borno Empire lands, which split up around the turn of the 20th century into smaller Islamic Emirates controlled by Sultans and Chieftains. This blade type was also found as far as Darfur in Southern Sudan, while the decoration on the handle could possibly resemble Azande shield designs.
The long double- edged steel blade gradually merges to an acute point. The center plane is raised with a medial ridge. The blade is extensively hand- chiseled throughout with the central section incised with geometric diamond cross- hatched patterns and linear etchings with a series of two shallow striations separating the center section of the blade to the outer section, running parallel to the edges.
The hardwood carved hilt with a rounded guard, cylindrical center grip, and a flared disc- shaped pommel. The central grip is finely engraved with geometric diamonds, zig- zag patterns, and a series of linear designs.
This long arm dagger is unfortunately missing its original leather (& crocodile?) sheath that would have helped pin- point a more specific locality or people but this knife serves as an uncommon type of the Sudanese arm dagger differentiating by the rounded guard and rounded outward flaring pommel along with the specific decorations on the hilt. My opinion is of Kanuri diaspora or Azande population located near the border of South Darfur and the CAR from the details that are displayed. A unique piece.
Photograph 13: Postcard of West African cavalry, Bornu Horsemen in combat attire, late 19th - early 20th century.
[1] https://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-146092
[2] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-24031
[3] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-2677-a
[4] https://african-weapons.com/gallery?10-early-gbaya-dagger-37-cm