The Knife, Sacrifice and Meaning

[Tim Simmons]

This fist pic being an old picture from turn of the 19/20 century India. Is that a special knife? or just an agricultural tool? could an agricultural tool be significant? Compere with the second pic from Africa.


In this cropped picture, to concentrate on the knife. Sacred objects are being rejuvenated. The knife appears to very ordinary. The differences between an ornate and designated knife might be related to the degree of specialist personnel in the belief system and the gravity of the local.

[Emanuel]

Hello Tim,
The Indian knife looks like a Mopla knife, but it could be agricultural. I guess the beaheading is beast done by concave edges - as demonstrated by khukri and kora in Nepal - so the mopla was chosen to behead the goat simply for its effectiveness...maybe.
I'm thinking that the degree of spirituality or specialty attributeds to the knife varies depending on the context: a relatively poor society or group may use any available tool, while a richer one may use specifically designated (maybe blessed/sanctified?) blades.

Vandoo, could the handles themselves act as deities? I mean could they be used separate from the blade, simply as devotional sculptures/amulets? That leads me to ask "how different is a handle from a sacrificial knife from a statue, if at all?" For example, I have a little tourist statue from Mexico, carved in soapstone, that looks a lot like the knife posted by Tim.

Emanuel

[Tim Simmons]

They do things differently there. This is a rather staged photo from the late 19th century. A time when a section of British society was and still is deeply fascinated and romantic about the Islamic world. The picture is near east Syria? Look closely, is that a saber? I cannot see a guard? could this be a special blade for halal method? Even if a staged photo I see no reason that it was not done as shown. Bye and bye I live not even 10miles from the first mosque in the UK, in a town called Woking built in 1889. No black pudding for breakfast then.

[Dom]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Look closely, is that a saber? I cannot see a guard? could this be a special blade for halal method?

just a precision,
no specific knife, dagger, sword to slaught an animal according with Islamic rite,
and have the meat reputed "hallal"
just ; to cut the throat of the animal in life, and in the same time, to address to God a specific prayer

it's just requested that the "tool" must be with a blade very sharp and cutting,
and to avoid to show it to the animal

à +

Dom

[FenrisWolf]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

This fist pic being an old picture from turn of the 19/20 century India. Is that a special knife? or just an agricultural tool? could an agricultural tool be significant? Compere with the second pic from Africa.

Hi, Tim;

I found this picture very interesting , especially after I compared it to this item that showed up today:



The blade is significantly smaller, but what little of the hilt that can be seen looks similar. Also, the blade is sharpened on the inner edge only, making it perfect for a drawcut across the throat of a sacrifice. The engraving on either side of the blade resembles a stylized century plant, which I know some people viewed as a symbol of rebirth (I don't know if that belief was held in India or not.) The outer curve has a false edge for about two-thirds edge, but is not sharp.

Fenris

[Rick]

That looks like a Chilean Corvo .
Scroll down.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=corvo

[FenrisWolf]

Originally Posted by Rick

That looks like a Chilean Corvo .
Scroll down.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=corvo

Thanks! I've learned more about my collection in the last week or so than I learned in the last year!
Fenris