Sudanese arm dagger with Hadendoa hilt

[Jim McDougall]

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

[Emanuel]

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

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Manolo

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