Sudanese arm dagger with Hadendoa hilt
 

Hello,

I got this new puppy from the bay. About 14" long with a nicely forged blade. Looks like the 1900 karthoum pieces, but the hilt is unusual, it's like that of Hadendoa daggers instead of the classic turned type. I know the Hadendoa partly settled in areas of Sudan, and it's interesting to see this combination piece. I wonder about the smiths that made it and their own ethnicity.

Preliminary pics, will update when I receive it. The last pic is of a turned-pommel variety and is almost 13" long.

Any thoughts on this piece?

Emanuel

Nice one Manolo I was watching that one but that Ivory hilted Hausa dagger was calling my name. :) The hilt on yours is Beja and the blade seems Sudanese it makes a real nice combo. Here is a similar one.

Congrats

Lew

Thanks Lew, it is indeed a nice match. After reading more about the Beja/Hadendoa I'm surprised there aren't more such pieces.

Cheers!
Emanuel

These distinctive hilts are really interesting, and it seems that some time ago a man who was from Eritrea and a Beja told me that the daggers of this form with the curious hooked blade end were Beja ( as noted by Lew concerning the hilt form). The straight dagger blades as seen here were from Mahdist period and in the turned hilts as Emanual has shown.
I wonder if there is really a clear distinction between Hadendoa and Beja weapons with these common hilts and the blade variations. Both tribes were equally diffused between Eastern Sudan and into Eritrea, the kaskara well known in Eritrea also.

I have always wondered of these Hadendoa/Beja hilts might have derived from the anthromorphic chilanum type hilts from India via Red Sea trade.

I was told the hook type blade was for rather grisly purpose, but I wonder of the blade form has any relation to the early Nayar type swords of India also. Obviously these thoughts are based simply on free association, but seemed worthy of note.

All best regards,
Jim

Hi Jim,

This article (limited as it is, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadendoa) indicates that the Hadendoa are a sub-tribe of the larger Beja ethnic group, sharing the same language. Perhaps what we call Beja daggers could be better identified as Adabde, Hadendoa, Bisharin, etc... according to the specific sub-groups.

I could also see the chilanum as an inspiration for these hilts. Then again there are so many variations of I-hilts in Eastern Africa that it could very well be a local development.

All the best,
Eamnuel

Hi Emanuel,
Excellent information, and you're right, conflicts in attribution may well be explained by these tribal classifications. On the hilt shape, it seems that the 'anthromorphic' stylizing goes way back to the LaTene swords etc. It would be hard to prove any direct relation between these but still seems interesting.

All the best,
Jim