Tooray
Somali / Darod / Ogaden
British Somaliland - Italian Somaliland (Somaliland) - Abyssinia (Northwestern Ethiopia)
Mid- 20th century (ca. 1940 - 1945)
Steel, wood, brass, leather
Blade: 7 1/4" (18.4cm)
Hilt & Blade: 12" (30.5cm)
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 12 3/8" (31.4cm)
Collection Date: 2020
Collection Number: 130

Ex. American Art Market (2020)

A variation of the billao dagger known as the tooray. Used by the various Somali clans such as the Darod in Somaliland spanning into Northwestern Ethiopia. Tooray are related to the traditional Somali billao knives, having a slightly different hilt shape and sheath style.

The blade is asymmetrical and double- edged, made from a sheet metal with ground down chamfered edges that converge to a sharp acute point. Blackened on the central plane. Brass ferrule engraved with “X” designs. Black wooden hilt that flares outward to a rounded brass pommel with an engraved triangular design. Red leather sheath, deeply engraved with geometric stars, linework, and cross- hatched patterns. A leather belt loop is attached on the rear stitched in metal wire. Decorated with iron studs at the throat, two of which are now missing.

Dating to around the World War II period, likely a G.I. bring back. A lesser known variation of the Somali billao dagger used in the former British Somaliland region.

Photograph 17: A postcard of Somali Warriors.

[1] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1928-0509-40

[2] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1935-1108-48-a

[3] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1987-12-2-a-b

[4] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1928-0509-27-a-b

[5] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1928-0509-41

[6] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-107118

[7] https://africanarms.com/gallery.html?somali-billao-with-scabbard-34-8-cm

[8] https://africanarms.com/gallery.html?somali-billao-dagger-31-1-cm

[9] http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=27673&highlight=tooray

[10] http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18201&highlight=tooray