Huge Beja Dagger with Silver Filigree

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).

Battara · 2nd January 2020, 06:14 PM

Kubur, I apparently misunderstood you. Thank you for the illumination.

Martin Lubojacky, this type of filigree looks identical to mine! Very precise id and thank you.

Again this is out of my area but I am up to researching and learning more folks. Many many thanks.

Kubur · 2nd January 2020, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Lubojacky

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,as Kubur mentioned, where the cultural influences used to blend together)..

Maybe from Falasha Ethiopian Jewish
and remember that Yemeni were in Gondar too
But for your Beja dagger i still believe that it might be a red Sea work rather than something from the mountains

Edster · 2nd January 2020, 08:53 PM

The knife type is iconic to the Beni-Amer (part of the Beja) split between E. Sudan & NW Eritrea. My guess is the client was the Italian government during their tenure in Eritrea between 1890 & 1945, and it was a political gift to a Diglal or head of the B-A during that period. The pristine nature of the silver work suggests a later age. It was likely made in Massawa, an old-time port on the Red Sea coast across from Yemen, by a immigrant Yemeni Jewish artisan.

The imperfection (dig) of the blade near the hilt concerns me. Likewise, but not to be picky, the blade is a little off-center going into the hilt.

Best regards,
Ed

roanoa · 2nd January 2020, 10:40 PM

I do not think there is anything wrong with the blade being a little off the axis. Mine is the same. It's just the design. The filigree work is superb. Decorations for shields, swords and scabbards were made by silversmiths and the design is the same one finds in Eritrean/Ethiopian jewellery. And yes, most of these smiths were from Yemen and in many cases (I believe) these pieces were actually made in Yemen and imported as a finished product. I am posting just samples of these decorations. Two are from sword hilts (though they have been washed in gold). One is the "spur" of a sword scabbard (pointing upwards) and the last picture is of two sliders of a belt.

Martin Lubojacky · 3rd January 2020, 06:33 AM

Some examples are here:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21715

Battara · 4th January 2020, 02:37 AM

This thread has been most enlightening.

Many thanks to you all!

2nd January 2020, 08:50 AM	#1
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 845	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

2nd January 2020, 10:40 PM	#5
roanoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 241	I do not think there is anything wrong with the blade being a little off the axis. Mine is the same. It's just the design. The filigree work is superb. Decorations for shields, swords and scabbards were made by silversmiths and the design is the same one finds in Eritrean/Ethiopian jewellery. And yes, most of these smiths were from Yemen and in many cases (I believe) these pieces were actually made in Yemen and imported as a finished product. I am posting just samples of these decorations. Two are from sword hilts (though they have been washed in gold). One is the "spur" of a sword scabbard (pointing upwards) and the last picture is of two sliders of a belt. Attached Images

2nd January 2020, 06:14 PM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,339	Kubur, I apparently misunderstood you. Thank you for the illumination. Martin Lubojacky, this type of filigree looks identical to mine! Very precise id and thank you. Again this is out of my area but I am up to researching and learning more folks. Many many thanks.

2nd January 2020, 08:53 PM	#4
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 440	The knife type is iconic to the Beni-Amer (part of the Beja) split between E. Sudan & NW Eritrea. My guess is the client was the Italian government during their tenure in Eritrea between 1890 & 1945, and it was a political gift to a Diglal or head of the B-A during that period. The pristine nature of the silver work suggests a later age. It was likely made in Massawa, an old-time port on the Red Sea coast across from Yemen, by a immigrant Yemeni Jewish artisan. The imperfection (dig) of the blade near the hilt concerns me. Likewise, but not to be picky, the blade is a little off-center going into the hilt. Best regards, Ed

3rd January 2020, 06:33 AM	#6
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 845	Some examples are here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21715

4th January 2020, 02:37 AM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,339	This thread has been most enlightening. Many thanks to you all!