A Fine Azande Arm Dagger
Fine Azande Arm Dagger
Equatoria, Anglo- Egyptian Sudan (South Sudan)
Early 20th century (ca. 1900)
Elephant ivory, crocodile skin, tooled leather, steel, brass
Blade: 17,8cm
Hilt & Blade: 27,3cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 28,6cm
Collection Date: 2022
Collection Number: 288
The Azande arm dagger is similar to other arm daggers that can be found across Africa with minor differences in form and materials. This is a fine example from the Azande people of now South Sudan. Its elephant ivory carved hilt engraved with circle-dot motifs is curved similar to Hausa arm daggers rather than the typical Sudanese disc shaped hilts. A small undecorated brass cap is attached to the pommel tang.
The blade is straight double-eged tapering into a spear-like point toward the last quarter, having a deeper central fuller flanked by two shallow fullers on each side. Its sheath is the typical crocodile skin, elaborate tooled leather, and leather arm loop with some minor fraying. These examples are harder to date, but this piece is of the early 20th century with these types not as common as the typical Sudanese arm daggers often encountered.