Eritrean Dagger
Eritrean Dagger
Tigrinya / Tigrayan
Italian Eritrea (Eritrea)
Late 19th century (ca. 1890)
Steel, horn, brass
Blade: 29,2cm
Hilt & Blade: 41,3cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 41,9cm
Collection Date: 2019
Collection Number: 57
An uncommon dagger from Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. The steel blade is curved double- edged with a stippled zig- zag design near the base. Hilt made of stacked horn, possibly goat and bovine, with metal spacers, looks to be a thin brass. The pommel is crescent shaped with a metal alloy tang cap. Wood sheath covered in brass with stippled patterns. Many of these examples were gathered during early Italian occupation in Eritrea during the 1880s and 1890s with similar pieces dating from 1888 -1898. This one is in great shape as the delicate pommel is not broken, chipped, or missing.
[1]Research and Documentation Center of Craftsmanship of Cutting Tools, Pro Loco of Scarperia, Museum of Natural History of the University of Florence, section of Anthropology and Ethnology. “Mostra dei Ferri Taglienti”. 2016. “Lame del Corno D’Africa”. Page 21
[2] https://museoferritaglientiscarperia.it/exhibitions/?lang=en#1574248786818-37270a64-d6b0
[3] http://www.africanarms.com/gallery?4-two-arab-dagger-ethiopia-somalia-kl-2
[4] http://www.africanarms.com/gallery?6-eritrea-curved-dagger-w-scab-38-cm
[5] http://www.africanarms.com/gallery?10-arab-dagger-ethiopia-somalia-blade-kl
[6] http://www.africanarms.com/gallery?6-eritrea-dagger-36-6-cm
[8] https://galleryrider.com/index.php/addenda/personal-collection/curved-dagger-sheath-eritrea-sudan
[9] https://galleryrider.com/index.php/addenda/personal-collection/dagger-sheath-eritrea-somalia