Huge Beja Dagger with Silver Filigree

roanoa · 31st December 2019, 06:19 PM

Amazing. I have seen Beja/Hadendoa daggers with silver wire wrapping and rosettes, but never one like this!!! The wood looks reddish, but is hard to find a piece of ebony this size completely black. I have a HUGE dagger and the hilt has some reddish tones. I thought mine was the best.... I stand corrected!

Battara · 1st January 2020, 12:22 AM

Thank you folks for the comments and help so far. Possible Sufi connection? That would be sooooo cool and wonderful. I love the Sufis.

The type of filigree made me think of the Ethiopian region. Did not think of Sudan or Islamic. Very helpful.

Again zukran!

CharlesS · 1st January 2020, 01:01 AM

Nicest, most flamboyant, an example I have ever seen. Certainly a status piece, but I doubt we will ever learn the "level" of the status.

Terrific find! Congrats!

Kubur · 1st January 2020, 08:06 AM

This is a Red sea work, I don't think at Kassala.
Maybe from Yemeni Jewish diaspora
One of the best I have seen.

Battara · 1st January 2020, 08:28 PM

Thank you gents.

So Kubur could I say that this belonged to someone in the Eretrea region and the hilt made in Yemen?

Kubur · 1st January 2020, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Thank you gents.

So Kubur could I say that this belonged to someone in the Eretrea region and the hilt made in Yemen?

I won't tell you what to say...
I would say that the knife including hilt was made in Africa.
The filigree work or embellishment might be Yemeni jewish but as pointed out previously could be Arab Egyptian filigree or proper African filigree... in an area in between Halayeb to Suakin...

Martin Lubojacky · 2nd January 2020, 08:50 AM

Hi Battara, your dagger is exceptional.
The filigree could also come from Ethiopia/Abyssinia and Eritrea, (some of old silver pendants, e.g. old crosslets are bedecked similarly here, also you can see something similar on some old rings belonging to Rashaida people from Eritrea and Yemen, also on old silver hairpins - but it is, indeed, part of the wider region - as Kubur mentioned, where the cultural influences used to blend together). There is a group of pommels decorated slightly similarly and used mostly for handles of short heavy weapons which probably belonged to Oromo people from the Ethiopian "Wollo region" (before called Azebo Galla ?) - picture enclosed.
The blue/black coulour of the blade may be caused by conserving/restoring activities of the previous owner (use of the tannin solution, which can be used as effective rust inhibitor, it causes such colour).

31st December 2019, 06:19 PM	#1
roanoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 241	Amazing. I have seen Beja/Hadendoa daggers with silver wire wrapping and rosettes, but never one like this!!! The wood looks reddish, but is hard to find a piece of ebony this size completely black. I have a HUGE dagger and the hilt has some reddish tones. I thought mine was the best.... I stand corrected! Attached Images

1st January 2020, 01:01 AM	#3
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Nicest, most flamboyant, an example I have ever seen. Certainly a status piece, but I doubt we will ever learn the "level" of the status. Terrific find! Congrats! Last edited by CharlesS; 1st January 2020 at 12:31 PM.

2nd January 2020, 08:50 AM	#7
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 843	Hi Battara, your dagger is exceptional. The filigree could also come from Ethiopia/Abyssinia and Eritrea, (some of old silver pendants, e.g. old crosslets are bedecked similarly here, also you can see something similar on some old rings belonging to Rashaida people from Eritrea and Yemen, also on old silver hairpins - but it is, indeed, part of the wider region - as Kubur mentioned, where the cultural influences used to blend together). There is a group of pommels decorated slightly similarly and used mostly for handles of short heavy weapons which probably belonged to Oromo people from the Ethiopian "Wollo region" (before called Azebo Galla ?) - picture enclosed. The blue/black coulour of the blade may be caused by conserving/restoring activities of the previous owner (use of the tannin solution, which can be used as effective rust inhibitor, it causes such colour). Attached Images

1st January 2020, 12:22 AM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	Thank you folks for the comments and help so far. Possible Sufi connection? That would be sooooo cool and wonderful. I love the Sufis. The type of filigree made me think of the Ethiopian region. Did not think of Sudan or Islamic. Very helpful. Again zukran!

1st January 2020, 08:06 AM	#4
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	This is a Red sea work, I don't think at Kassala. Maybe from Yemeni Jewish diaspora One of the best I have seen.

1st January 2020, 08:28 PM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,272	Thank you gents. So Kubur could I say that this belonged to someone in the Eretrea region and the hilt made in Yemen?