African dagger. Completely stumped

blue lander · 18th August 2014, 03:09 PM

This "Chinese sword" auction finished recently (I didn't win it), and the grip looks remarkably similar to that of these Maghreb daggers. I suppose it's just coincidence...

Oliver Pinchot · 18th August 2014, 04:22 PM

Anthropologists who study material cultures term this parallel development. Two or more cultures with similar requirements and levels of technological skill will occasionally develop a very similar object (in this case a dagger or sword grip) for the same purpose. So, in cultures where particular organic materials are readily available (wood, bone, antler, horn or ivory, for example) and stone or metal tools which can rapidly remove softer materials (files, for example) have either been invented by that culture or introduced from another through trade or war, grips with crosshatched surfaces are likely to develop independently. Thus, although the grips look alike, other factors must be considered in order to place them in the same culture. Bladeform is probably the most important distinction here.

18th August 2014, 03:09 PM	#1
blue lander Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456	This "Chinese sword" auction finished recently (I didn't win it), and the grip looks remarkably similar to that of these Maghreb daggers. I suppose it's just coincidence... Attached Images

18th August 2014, 04:22 PM	#2
Oliver Pinchot Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 460	Anthropologists who study material cultures term this parallel development. Two or more cultures with similar requirements and levels of technological skill will occasionally develop a very similar object (in this case a dagger or sword grip) for the same purpose. So, in cultures where particular organic materials are readily available (wood, bone, antler, horn or ivory, for example) and stone or metal tools which can rapidly remove softer materials (files, for example) have either been invented by that culture or introduced from another through trade or war, grips with crosshatched surfaces are likely to develop independently. Thus, although the grips look alike, other factors must be considered in order to place them in the same culture. Bladeform is probably the most important distinction here.