Sudanese (?) crocodile sheathed triple dagger set with Arabic script

[katana]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

ALL THOSE I HAVE SEEN HAVE HAD BONE HANDLES LIKE YOURS. NOTE THE WEDGE DRIVEN IN BY THE BLADE OF THE DAMAGED HANDLE, THE BLADE MAY HAVE BEEN LOOSE AND DRIVING IN THE WEDGE TO TIGHTEN IT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE SPLIT WHICH IN TURN HAD TO BE FIXED WITH THE WIRE. OR THE SPLIT MIGHT HAVE OCCURED FIRST, THE BEST WAY TO FIX A LOOSE BLADE IS WITH SOME PITCH OR EVEN A FOLDED PIECE OF PAPER NOT A HARD WEDGE.

You are right, the wooden wedges are an old repair and not consistant with the curved daggers which seem to have pitch or resin to secure the blades.
I am wondering whether the bone is from a crocodile...perhaps from the leg.
Failing that I suppose it could be camel, goat or cow.... without DNA anaylasis I suspect I will never know.......

[katana]

Recently finished eBay auction.... a curved dagger almost identical in style and construction as the daggers posted....also note...that this particular dagger is sharp .....a 'user' rather than ceremonial ????

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1