Modern Sudanese 'Arm Daggers'

Berkley · 17th July 2012, 07:33 PM

Wonderfully educational post and photos. Thank you.

Tim Simmons · 17th July 2012, 07:38 PM

The chaps with the axes. They are officers? Top brass? They follow a traditional form of status axe, also weapon axes. I am very keen on status weapon like objects. Do modern western military still carry swagger sticks and batons?

Tim Simmons · 17th July 2012, 07:46 PM

Sorry just read that they are officers. Here is an old 19th century status axe from the same region.

Rumpel · 17th July 2012, 10:01 PM

Tim, the odd thing (I'm ex-Army) is how they utilise the old British Army rank structure. Only Lt Cols and above are allowed axes...

They're 1/3 British Army, 1/3 Ethiopian Marxism and 1/3 tribal warfare: fascinating, doomed and utterly romantic...

Edit: axes are exactly equivalent to swagger sticks/riding crops in the British Army.

Nathaniel · 17th July 2012, 10:36 PM

Wow, Very interesting thread. It is fantastic to see traditional blades still being used versus some mass produced factory made blade in some other country on the other side of the globe. Thank you Rumpel for sharing!

kahnjar1 · 22nd July 2012, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumpel

Tim, the odd thing (I'm ex-Army) is how they utilise the old British Army rank structure. Only Lt Cols and above are allowed axes...

They're 1/3 British Army, 1/3 Ethiopian Marxism and 1/3 tribal warfare: fascinating, doomed and utterly romantic...

Edit: axes are exactly equivalent to swagger sticks/riding crops in the British Army.

Hi Rumpel
Don't forget that the Brits held sway in the Sudan amongst most other Middle Eastern countries during colonial times. The army ranks are no doubt a "hand me down" from those times, and to be honest the "graduated" British rank structure is quite a simple one to follow.
Gene----yes I am here and those axes do look a bit like the so called Jerz. I will let our "more learned friend" take up on this...............no doubt he will..........

Tim Simmons · 22nd July 2012, 10:12 AM

Rumpel, this axe in the Pittrivers museum Oxford is assigned to the Nuer but as you can see from the ethnic map link this is rather a broad statement. Different ethnic groups may also carry very similar stvle of axe.

http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/de...946.8.91_b.jpg

Map

http://www1.american.edu/ted/ICE/ima...groups-map.jpg

manteris1 · 27th July 2012, 08:18 PM

rumpel, very nice post......................jimmy

17th July 2012, 07:46 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	Sorry just read that they are officers. Here is an old 19th century status axe from the same region. Attached Images

17th July 2012, 07:33 PM	#1
Berkley Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Austin, Texas USA Posts: 257	Wonderfully educational post and photos. Thank you.

17th July 2012, 07:38 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	The chaps with the axes. They are officers? Top brass? They follow a traditional form of status axe, also weapon axes. I am very keen on status weapon like objects. Do modern western military still carry swagger sticks and batons?

17th July 2012, 10:01 PM	#4
Rumpel Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 63	Tim, the odd thing (I'm ex-Army) is how they utilise the old British Army rank structure. Only Lt Cols and above are allowed axes... They're 1/3 British Army, 1/3 Ethiopian Marxism and 1/3 tribal warfare: fascinating, doomed and utterly romantic... Edit: axes are exactly equivalent to swagger sticks/riding crops in the British Army.

17th July 2012, 10:36 PM	#5
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Wow, Very interesting thread. It is fantastic to see traditional blades still being used versus some mass produced factory made blade in some other country on the other side of the globe. Thank you Rumpel for sharing!

22nd July 2012, 10:12 AM	#7
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	Rumpel, this axe in the Pittrivers museum Oxford is assigned to the Nuer but as you can see from the ethnic map link this is rather a broad statement. Different ethnic groups may also carry very similar stvle of axe. http://southernsudan.prm.ox.ac.uk/de...946.8.91_b.jpg Map http://www1.american.edu/ted/ICE/ima...groups-map.jpg

27th July 2012, 08:18 PM	#8
manteris1 Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 114	rumpel, very nice post......................jimmy