Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Sudanese dagger set with damaged Monitor Lizard sheath?

Tim Simmons · 17th May 2006, 08:12 PM

I wish I knew more about these. I have gone from holding them all in great reverence to dismissing them and other crocodile finished knife/sword as tourist bazar pieces. Some are I am sure tourist things even if old, sold in Egypt and so on. Some are undoubtably the real thing from the rise of the Mahdi and like the example you show, with supporting information some are indeed some kind of cultural item. I am not sold on the crocodile worship, in my mind that is too simple and just an afar view of the exotic. I have read that the crocodile is considered a reflection of kingship. The static animal seen basking every day at the river looking docile and a continuation of normality, yet at an instant the terrible latent almighty devouring power can be stirred, akin to that of the king. So crocodile bits and pieces on some artifacts might be quite desirable. If I see a nice set at a price I think okay, I will be the next one to fall under the spell.

17th May 2006, 08:12 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	I wish I knew more about these. I have gone from holding them all in great reverence to dismissing them and other crocodile finished knife/sword as tourist bazar pieces. Some are I am sure tourist things even if old, sold in Egypt and so on. Some are undoubtably the real thing from the rise of the Mahdi and like the example you show, with supporting information some are indeed some kind of cultural item. I am not sold on the crocodile worship, in my mind that is too simple and just an afar view of the exotic. I have read that the crocodile is considered a reflection of kingship. The static animal seen basking every day at the river looking docile and a continuation of normality, yet at an instant the terrible latent almighty devouring power can be stirred, akin to that of the king. So crocodile bits and pieces on some artifacts might be quite desirable. If I see a nice set at a price I think okay, I will be the next one to fall under the spell.