Dongola Short Sword
Dongola Short Sword
Nubian - Sudanese Arab - Tigrinya / Tigrayan
Dongola Region, Mahdist Sudan - Anglo- Egyptian Sudan (Northern Sudan) - Italian Eritrea (Eritrea, Tigray Ethiopia)
Late 19th - Early 20th century (ca. 1890 - 1910)
Steel, horn, bone, brass, wood
Blade: 49,5cm
Hilt & Blade: 62,2cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 62,9cm
Collection Date: 2024
Collection Number: 453
Ex. Tony Paul: Harrow, United Kingdom (2024)
A rare short sword from the Dongola region of Northern Sudan used by the Nubian and adopted by the Sudanese Arabs. This type gradually spread its way throughout Northern Sudan into neighboring Eritrea and has been used by the Tigrinya and Tigrayan Peoples. They can also be found throughout the Nile Valley to Khartoum. Knives of this type are somewhat uncommon and typically smaller, while the longer short sword variation like this piece is rather rare. This example is the Dongola type.
The curved double- edged steel blade has a raised medial ridge that tapers to an acute point. Each side has stippled zig- zag patterned design near the base. The hilt is composed of stacked bovine horn with a bone central grip. The pommel is carved horn with an upturned section ending in a single horn prong. Wood sheath covered in brass sheet with stippled zig-zag patterned decorations throughout in a traditional manner.
Many 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. A rare short sword variation. I have seen very few examples of this length.
[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
[7] https://africanarms.com/gallery.html?sudan-sword-76-cm
[9] https://galleryrider.com/index.php/addenda/personal-collection/curved-dagger-sheath-eritrea-sudan
[10] https://galleryrider.com/index.php/addenda/personal-collection/dagger-sheath-eritrea-somalia