An Early Nubian Arm Dagger
An Early Nubian Arm Dagger
Nubian
Omdurman - Khartoum, Mahdist Sudan - Anglo- Egyptian Sudan (Omdurman - Khartoum, Sudan)
Late 19th century (ca. 1884 - 1900)
Steel, wood, leather, reptile skin (monitor), copper
Blade: 17,1cm
Hilt & Blade: 26,7cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 27cm
Collection Date: 2021
Collection Number: 450
Ex. Harry Wagner Collection: Columbus, Ohio, USA (2021)
An early Nubian style arm dagger from the Sudanese twin cities of Omdurman and Khartoum. The steel blade is double- edged with a shallow ricasso at the base. The blade narrows toward the middle before widening, then recurving to the point. Engraved on one side in Arabic is the word, "Omdurman.” On the reverse side engraved in the same manner is the word "Khartoum." The hilt is carved in a simple hourglass shape from wood. The tang pommel is from a copper Ottoman - Egyptian 1/40 Qirsh coin bearing the reign of Abdul Hamid II (1834 - 1909) with a date 1293 or 1876/7. These coins were minted from the years of 1884 to 1909. Translated, "Minted in Egypt, a quarter of a tenth Qirsh, 1293." The sheath of tooled red leather with stamped designs to one side. The mouth band of reptile monitor skin. Attached is a braided leather arm loop. A very good early Nubian knife during the Mahdist period. Deep aesthetic contrast colorations to the wood hilt.