Oromo Dagger
Likely Arsi Oromo
Oromia - Hararghe, Italian East Africa - Ethiopian Empire
Second quarter 20th century (ca. 1925 - 1950)
Elephant ivory, horn, brass, steel
Blade: 30,5cm
Hilt & Blade: 47cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -cm
Collection Date: 2022


A very good example of an Arsi Oromo dagger coming from the borderlands between Ethiopia and Somalia. The double-edged curved steel blade features a slightly raised central rib. The hilt is carved from elephant ivory with segments of buffalo horn separated by brass spacers. The ivory pommel is semi-circle shaped. The curved dagger shows Arab influence. This shape of pommel form is associated with Oromo daggers of Ethiopia and shows cross-cultural influences traversing the region into Somalia. Missing its sheath (likely would have been rawhide that had shrunken).

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