Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Marcus · 13th January 2016, 07:22 PM

"This dagger is Central - West African,
From the hilt it looks like its from the Goran or the Tubu of eastern Niger, central to north Western Chad.
It has the Toubu markings on the blade, The cowery shells (a relic of West African currency prior to the 1930s) is decorative, but places it more west than central Africa. The scabbard it interesting because it has both regular cured leather and iguana, or snake skin. I think it is igana or some kind of lizard. Places it again more in the West Africa.
But the hilt is not typically Fula. More Toubo or one of the desert tribes. it looks nicely weathered, and maybe restiched at a later date. the stitching is likely leather made from the intestines of a goat, or sheep. Its a working mans dagger. It is not Tuareg. Its not Sar, its looks Toubu."

13th January 2016, 07:22 PM	#3
Marcus Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 420	From a friend who spent many years in Africa "This dagger is Central - West African, From the hilt it looks like its from the Goran or the Tubu of eastern Niger, central to north Western Chad. It has the Toubu markings on the blade, The cowery shells (a relic of West African currency prior to the 1930s) is decorative, but places it more west than central Africa. The scabbard it interesting because it has both regular cured leather and iguana, or snake skin. I think it is igana or some kind of lizard. Places it again more in the West Africa. But the hilt is not typically Fula. More Toubo or one of the desert tribes. it looks nicely weathered, and maybe restiched at a later date. the stitching is likely leather made from the intestines of a goat, or sheep. Its a working mans dagger. It is not Tuareg. Its not Sar, its looks Toubu."