Brass Hilt Dirk

[M ELEY]

Incredible find once again, Mark! I'd love to have such a dirk!

Francantolin, at first I'd wondered if this were a Euro blade with ethno hilt as well, but the hilt looked so much like the Scottish dirk patterns I'd seen that I felt confident in that regard.

Jim, thank you for coming in on this one! I never realized there were all-metal hilts on these and thought this one might be a 'one-off' for an officer or some such. Thanks for that valuable information. Seriously, I'd love to find one of these types some day!

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Incredible find once again, Mark! I'd love to have such a dirk!

Francantolin, at first I'd wondered if this were a Euro blade with ethno hilt as well, but the hilt looked so much like the Scottish dirk patterns I'd seen that I felt confident in that regard.

Jim, thank you for coming in on this one! I never realized there were all-metal hilts on these and thought this one might be a 'one-off' for an officer or some such. Thanks for that valuable information. Seriously, I'd love to find one of these types some day!

Apparently this tradition was around since 1700, look at the brass one on the page I posted from Forman (and in Forman, you KNOW its right!).
What makes the example posted here later is the capstan.....I feel like this could well be Black Watch enlisted or sergeants end of 18th c. (IMO).

[mgolab]

Thanks again Jim. That is simply awesome!

As an aside, I have since learned that the surname associated with the piece is Morrison. A lot of information out there about the "Clan Morrison", so I am learning.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by mgolab

Thanks again Jim. That is simply awesome!

As an aside, I have since learned that the surname associated with the piece is Morrison. A lot of information out there about the "Clan Morrison", so I am learning.

As we do here! Together!

[Battara]

Many early dirks like this use dot circles that harken back to old Celtic designs. The African attribution is necessary therefore.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Battara

Many early dirks like this use dot circles that harken back to old Celtic designs. The African attribution is necessary therefore.

Jose, thank you for this note! The Celtic designs were keenly present in various cultures, including Scottish in material culture. One that comes to mind is the dot and circle, which is seen in some Scot weapons, but also turns up in India, Central Asia and the Balkans. As noted, it seems the same simple but notable design/symbol turns up in African culture in degree as well.

While it is hard to say whether these symbols evolved in the convergent sense, or as a result of cultural contact is hard to say, and may apply differently in incidental cases, but as you note, must be considered.

[Battara]

What I meant was it is not necessary for an African attribute.

Many world cultures hold similar structures in beliefs symbols, and artwork. These are not due to so much colonization as to similar archetypes in the mind of the human species, which transfer into cultures, symbols, and arts (according to Dr. Mircea Eliade).