Tuareg Dagger

[Iain]

Very interesting piece. I have never seen much information on how old some of these Tuareg pieces are. I am really only more familiar with the more typical teleks and other arm daggers.

It is certainly very well made and beautiful.

[Jim McDougall]

Extremely interesting piece, and reflecting some European influence in the alternating quillon terminal discs and perhaps some crenellation or scallop in the vestigially raised crossguard. The stacked type pommel corresponds to certain Tuareg pommel examples but cant recall specifics.

Most interesting is what indeed appears to be an amuletic enclosure, a rare feature as far as I am aware on weapons in general of these North African regions. It is typical for individuals to wear small containers with script on folded or rolled paper with devotional and talismanic invocations, usually around neck if I understand correctly. Weapons will often have of course various markings and motif imbuing talismanic and protective powers in the weapon and for the warrior, and this appears variant.

Need to look for corresponding style, the markings seem characteristic with Saharan weapons, and the use of copper and brass is talismanic in and of itself.

[Iain]

Hi Jim,

Well noted on the use of talismans - normally carried in pouches I believe as you said. As can been seen in the photo I'm attaching.

The stacked design of the pommel does indeed reflect the stacked pommels encountered on takouba and the construction seems similar as well with two halves to the pommel. Same goes for the use of brass and copper.

The crossguard is a bit odd - but the variety seen in these daggers is a bit overwhelming at times. In a lot of ways this reminds me of the style of daggers in a photo I'm attaching.


Identified by Spring as: ( from left to right ) : 1. Manding dagger from the Bissagos Islands ; 2. Sierra Leone ; 3. Senegal ; 4. Reguibat Arab, S Morrocco .

[Luc LEFEBVRE]

Good work guys ! Thanks.