Kanuri / Kotoko Arm Dagger
Kanuri / Kotoko / Mandara / Toubou or surrounding neighbors
Borno Emirate, British Nigeria - Kotoko Kingdom - Dikwa Emirate - Mandara Kingdom - Logone Emirate - German Kamerun - French Chad ( Northeastern Nigeria - Northern Cameroon - Southwest Chad)
Early 20th century (ca. 1910 - 1930)
Iron, leather, reptile skin
Blade: 27,6cm
Hilt & Blade: 42,2cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 45,1cm
Collection Date: 2024
Collection Number: 406

A unique style of arm dagger originating from the old Borno Empire lands, which split up around the turn of the 20th century into smaller Islamic Emirates controlled by Sultans and Chieftains. This land roughly corresponds to the triangle between Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad from which this dagger is used by the Kanuri, Kotoko, and others living nearby.

The straight steel blade is double- edged with a medial ridge, tapering inward to a long sharp point. The center plane is raised and decorated with intricate incisions of linear, geometric, and cross-hatched line work. There are a series of four fine fullers that separate the center of the blade to the outer part where another three fuller grooves are present along the edges.

The hilt is of leather with bound woven strips, the center grip consisting of reptile skin and leather design. The pommel is a triangular iron protrusion. The sheath of tooled red leather with stamped designs. Mouth and chape composed of reptile skin, in fish tail shape. Solid leather arm band with leather tassels attached.

This style has sometimes been referred to as a chief or sultans knife, "mogheo te me". It is decently larger than most arm daggers. The blade is a work of art in itself with the incisions very precisely executed in workmanship. Vert rare for an African blade to be thoroughly decorated at this very fine level of detail.

• https://www.quaibranly.fr/en/explore-collections/base/Work/action/show/notice/223731-couteau/page/38/223731-couteau

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1924-1217-22-a-b?_gl=1%2a1y9dufn%2a_up%2aMQ..%2a_ga%2aMTQyNTI4OTA5OC4xNzEyNDQ0MDAw%2a_ga_08TLB9R8X1%2aMTcxMjQ0Mzk5OS4xLjAuMTcxMjQ0Mzk5OS4wLjAuMA..

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1911-1214-24-a?_gl=1%2a1logvs9%2a_up%2aMQ..%2a_ga%2aMTQyNTI4OTA5OC4xNzEyNDQ0MDAw%2a_ga_08TLB9R8X1%2aMTcxMjQ0Mzk5OS4xLjAuMTcxMjQ0Mzk5OS4wLjAuMA..

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1986-06-34-a?_gl=1%2a1w82qag%2a_up%2aMQ..%2a_ga%2aMTQyNTI4OTA5OC4xNzEyNDQ0MDAw%2a_ga_08TLB9R8X1%2aMTcxMjQ0Mzk5OS4xLjAuMTcxMjQ0Mzk5OS4wLjAuMA..

• https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af1986-06-33-a?_gl=1%2a1w82qag%2a_up%2aMQ..%2a_ga%2aMTQyNTI4OTA5OC4xNzEyNDQ0MDAw%2a_ga_08TLB9R8X1%2aMTcxMjQ0Mzk5OS4xLjAuMTcxMjQ0Mzk5OS4wLjAuMA..

• https://african-weapons.com/gallery?8-tubu-arm-dagger-45-41-cm-gr

• https://african-weapons.com/gallery?1-kotoko-kanuri-sultan-knfe-39-cm-with-scab-46-cm

• https://african-weapons.com/gallery?3-kotoko-kanuri-sultan-knfe-with-scab-46-cm

• https://african-weapons.com/gallery?2-tubu-dagger-from-major-ernst-von-raben-40-cm

• https://www.ertribal.com/index.php/tribal-art/blades/arm-dagger-sheath-tubu-daza-chad