Two Beja Daggers on Ebay

Lew · 6th October 2008, 03:20 AM

Just picked these two mid 20th century daggers.

I was looking for the hooked one to help complete my collection of these daggers. They seem to be tribally used and not tourist stuff.

Lew

Battara · 6th October 2008, 04:36 AM

The one on the right is my favorite. Since it has silver on it, is it a noble's piece? Both are from Eritrea. Very nice.

CharlesS · 6th October 2008, 01:40 PM

Battara,

I am curious as to what denotes these as Eritrean??

Lew · 6th October 2008, 04:52 PM

These daggers are more associated with the Beja and Hadendowa tribes who live in the Beja country an area which is to the west of the Red Sea hills and Port Sudan. Eritrea is to the south and east as seen on the map below and although there are Beni-Amer living on the border and in Eritrea I think these types of daggers are more Beja than Beni-Amer. I am sure there where some cross cultural exchanges though.

Lew

Rod Charters · 6th October 2008, 06:12 PM

The following is from Wikipedia but don't know its correctness. Rod:

The Beja are found mostly in Sudan, but also in parts of Eritrea, and Egypt. They formerly were classified as belonging to the Hamitic race (a classification now generally regarded as politically and scientifically[1] incorrect).

Most of them live in the Sudanese states of Red Sea around Port Sudan, River Nile, Al Qadarif and Kassala, as well as in Northern Red Sea, Gash-Barka, and Anseba Regions in Eritrea, and southeastern Egypt. Other Beja ethnic groups are endemic to Egypt's Western Desert and to Yemen. Some Beja groups are nomadic.

The Bejas contain smaller tribes, such as the Ababde (or Ababda), Bisharin, Hedareb, Hadendowa (or Hadendoa), the Amarar (or Amar'ar), Beni-Amer, Shukuria, Hallenga and Hamran, some of them partly mixed with Bedouins.[citation needed] The European colonial masters and the explorers became fascinated with the Bejas which they often described in eulogistic terms.

The Bejas attach a high importance to their hair. Their prominent crown of fuzzy hair (called tiffa in their language) has characterized the Beja for centuries. Bejas believe that they are the descendants of a Lioness deity and her human consort. Egyptian Beja groups are believed to be the descendants of the Maahes Caste of High Priests of Amen and their Soldiers. Egyptian Priest-Kings Pinudjem, Psusennese and Masaharta are acknowledged as the patriarchal ancestors of Egypt's Western Desert Maahes by Egyptian Bejas.

Tim Simmons · 6th October 2008, 06:22 PM

Also known as the FuzzyWuzzy but that was some time ago.

6th October 2008, 03:20 AM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Two Beja Daggers on Ebay Just picked these two mid 20th century daggers. I was looking for the hooked one to help complete my collection of these daggers. They seem to be tribally used and not tourist stuff. Lew Attached Images

6th October 2008, 04:52 PM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	These daggers are more associated with the Beja and Hadendowa tribes who live in the Beja country an area which is to the west of the Red Sea hills and Port Sudan. Eritrea is to the south and east as seen on the map below and although there are Beni-Amer living on the border and in Eritrea I think these types of daggers are more Beja than Beni-Amer. I am sure there where some cross cultural exchanges though. Lew Attached Images

6th October 2008, 06:12 PM	#5
Rod Charters Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 48	From Wikipedia The following is from Wikipedia but don't know its correctness. Rod: The Beja are found mostly in Sudan, but also in parts of Eritrea, and Egypt. They formerly were classified as belonging to the Hamitic race (a classification now generally regarded as politically and scientifically[1] incorrect). Most of them live in the Sudanese states of Red Sea around Port Sudan, River Nile, Al Qadarif and Kassala, as well as in Northern Red Sea, Gash-Barka, and Anseba Regions in Eritrea, and southeastern Egypt. Other Beja ethnic groups are endemic to Egypt's Western Desert and to Yemen. Some Beja groups are nomadic. The Bejas contain smaller tribes, such as the Ababde (or Ababda), Bisharin, Hedareb, Hadendowa (or Hadendoa), the Amarar (or Amar'ar), Beni-Amer, Shukuria, Hallenga and Hamran, some of them partly mixed with Bedouins.[citation needed] The European colonial masters and the explorers became fascinated with the Bejas which they often described in eulogistic terms. The Bejas attach a high importance to their hair. Their prominent crown of fuzzy hair (called tiffa in their language) has characterized the Beja for centuries. Bejas believe that they are the descendants of a Lioness deity and her human consort. Egyptian Beja groups are believed to be the descendants of the Maahes Caste of High Priests of Amen and their Soldiers. Egyptian Priest-Kings Pinudjem, Psusennese and Masaharta are acknowledged as the patriarchal ancestors of Egypt's Western Desert Maahes by Egyptian Bejas.

6th October 2008, 04:36 AM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,219	The one on the right is my favorite. Since it has silver on it, is it a noble's piece? Both are from Eritrea. Very nice.

6th October 2008, 01:40 PM	#3
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,857	Battara, I am curious as to what denotes these as Eritrean??

6th October 2008, 06:22 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Also known as the FuzzyWuzzy but that was some time ago.