Koummya
Koummya
Mesfioua Tribe / Berber
Haut Atlas, Kingdom of Morocco
Last half of the 19th century
Steel, horn, brass, cotton
Blade: 31,1cm
Hilt & Blade: 48,9cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 52,7cm
Collection Date: 2018
Collection Number: 26
Ex. American Art Market (2018)
A Berber koummya dagger of large proportions used by the Mesfioua Tribe of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco , possibly mounted on a Spanish blade. The double- edged upcurving steel blade having a raised center. The long ricasso at the base has two fullers that span to the sharpened edges of the blade, both offset on each side. One side of the ricasso has a deep stamp of a serif cross within. This stamp is often seen on Moroccan arms, sometimes in a series of four. Due to the great quality and large size of the blade, it is thought to be Spanish in origin.
The hilt is of horn, nicley carved in a reeded texture. The pommel is in the form of the "peacock tail" variation. Mounts of brass in traditional Moroccan foliage motifs. Wooden interior sheath cased in a heavy brass with classical floral designs. Attached is the original baldric sash still having a faint blue blue dye to it. Even though this koummya is by no means prestige or fanciful, it does exhibit good quality workings and is very large for the type. A real battle worthy dagger from the 19th century.
[1] Spring, Christopher. 1993. “African Arms and Armor”. Pages 24 – 26 (Info.)
[2] W. O. Oldman, “Illustrated Catalogue of Ethnographic Specimens”, List No. 65; Item No. 39 (2193)
[4] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=4297
[5] http://www.oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=5553
[6] http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17940&highlight=north+african+sword+james
[7] http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=3996&highlight=koummiya