Arm Dagger
Arm Dagger
Fur - Nuba or surrounding neighbors
South Darfur - South Kordofan, Anglo- Egyptian Sudan - Sudan
Mid- 20th century (ca. 1940 - 1970)
Steel, wood, ivory, metal alloy, leather, crocodile skin
Blade: 15,2cm
Hilt & Blade: 26cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 28,6cm
Collection Date: 2019
Collection Number: 30
Ex. German Art Market (2019)
A fine arm dagger from around the mid- 20th century, Sudan. This type of arm dagger is found in South Darfur into South Kordofan and used amongst the Fur, Nuba, and neighboring people. Examples retained in the British Museum were purchased in the Southern Darfur cities of Nyala and Buram, while others have also been found in the South Kordofan Kadugli Area of the Nuba Hills. Undoubtedly, they have also made their way to be sold in the markets in the capital twin cities of Omdurman / Khartoum.
The straight steel blade is double- edged with a slightly raised medial plane and beveled edges. The flared hilt, carved from a dark colored hardwood, sometimes called African blackwood that has characteristics closely resembling ebony wood. The lower half of the hilt is composed of stacked segments of wood and elephant ivory with a disc- shaped pommel ending in an engraved silver alloy pommel cap.
The sheath is embossed red leather with crocodile skin. Attached is a braided leather arm loop. Minor crack to the disc pommel. A fine quality arm dagger of the time period.
[1] https://prm.ox.ac.uk/collections-online#/item/prm-object-124457
[4] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1980-22-6-a-d
[5] http://www.africanarms.com/gallery?10-sudan-dagger-25-5-cm-dagger-23-6-cm