Curved Dagger with Sheath

Origin: Hadendoa Tribe, Ethiopia
Composition: forged iron, wood, leather, metal tacks

This is an incredible example of the classical dagger from the Hadendoa tribe of Ethiopia. Each Hadendoa man would carry his own dagger on the front of his waist in a small sheath attached to his belt - in similar fashion to the janbiyya daggers of Yemen. The flaring quillons of the hilt (or handle) are distinctive to the Hadendoa, and the decoration of the hilt is an important symbol of prestige. The blades are sometime curved and tapering, as in this example, and sometimes hooked at the end (Ref: Spring, "African Arms and Armour").

The Hadendoa are a nomadic, yet pastoral tribe who are ruled by a hereditary chief, and who live spread across eastern Africa, from southern Sudan to Eritrea, with most of the Hadendoa living in Ethiopia (Ref: Encyclopedia Britannica, 1911).

The photo below is from Paul Hartlmaier's 1956 "Golden Lion: An Expedition to Abyssinia," and is © Geoffrey Bles Publishing.

This curved African knife/dagger is absolutely incredible and will be a fine addition to a discerning collector's collection. We purchased this antique knife while field collecting in the D.R. Congo in 2008 as part of a larger purchase of antique African knives and African weapons. This was one of the more spectacular pieces in this very special group.

The feel of the piece in the hand is both comfortable and a little intimidating in light of what must have been a very notable history of use. The snugly-crafted original sheath features fine detail work on tanned leather, in the tradition of Ethiopian or even Tunisian and Morroccan craft camel leather tanning, but it is not over-embellished or ostentatious. The blade itself is very sharp and shows evidence of use and age. The handle has finely-carved parallel linear ridges, the work of someone who carefully and timestakingly crafted the handle with pride in their work and craft. A fine, fine piece, worthy of a very competitive auction. Guaranteed authentic and of the highest quality.

Please contact us to inquire about this piece at (415) 362-6601 or info@sujaro.com.