Sahara daggers "telek"

[Iain]

Originally Posted by colin henshaw

Thanks to those who have commented on these daggers. I note the hilt form is similar to that on Tuareg saddles (see image attached). There is a dagger like mine illustrated in the book "Waffen aus Zentral-Afrika" published by Museum fur Volkerkunde 1985, in which it is described as from Bornu..

I have noticed a feature on my daggers, also to be found on different types of Sahel/Sahara spears, ie. those two brass rounded protusions on either side of the blade socket. Can anyone shed some light on their purpose - symbolic in some way ?

On the Bornu attribution; my impression is that the designations in that title are based purely on the collection locale. Obviously with a wide ranging group like the Tuareg this means there's a real potential for a dagger to show up fairly far away from where it was made.

The cruciform hilts are similar to the saddles. I believe the construction is similar as well in terms of wood being utilized.

Not sure on the brass discs but it is certainly a common feature. It shows up in Dogon spears and those of other groups as well.