A Fine and Fascinating SE African YAO Dagger

CharlesS · 25th March 2020, 11:37 PM

RSword and Kubur,

Thanks, for your great additional info. I think this as convincing as any argument made so far about these knives.

Kubur, I don't agree with dismissing any evidence or observations based on one article, though hugely convincing. A case is best made through a compendium of evidence and observations, rather than limiting them.

Thanks again for your additional info!

mahratt · 26th March 2020, 05:00 AM

Hello Charles

Congratulations! You have a beautiful knife.

This is undoubtedly a Yao knife from Africa. I think the handle is not made from ivory, but from a hippo tooth. Yao preferred this material for handles.

Richard G · 26th March 2020, 02:10 PM

There's one in the Pitt Rivers Museum.
Regards
Richard
http://objects.prm.ox.ac.uk/pages/PRMUID35293.html

Richard G · 26th March 2020, 02:44 PM

The National Museum of Scotland also has one,
Regards
Richard
https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-co...item_id=338853

ariel · 26th March 2020, 04:26 PM

Baldric mount on the Katara and the Omani khanjar are very good evidence .
But what clinches the story is the Pitt Rivers example with impeccable provenance.

It IS Malawi.

Good job, Charles and a truly beautiful dagger with 100% accurate attribution.

CharlesS · 26th March 2020, 04:30 PM

Richard, thanks so much for your additions. Those are very old examples!

Ariel, thanks for your comments...you made me do some hard work, but I love it!

Richard G · 27th March 2020, 01:26 PM

Here is a knife of the same construction but showing a lot 'African' characteristics, the lack of which seem to trouble some of our fellow forumites
Regards
Richard

27th March 2020, 01:26 PM	#7
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 411	Here is a knife of the same construction but showing a lot 'African' characteristics, the lack of which seem to trouble some of our fellow forumites Regards Richard Attached Images

25th March 2020, 11:37 PM	#1
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	RSword and Kubur, Thanks, for your great additional info. I think this as convincing as any argument made so far about these knives. Kubur, I don't agree with dismissing any evidence or observations based on one article, though hugely convincing. A case is best made through a compendium of evidence and observations, rather than limiting them. Thanks again for your additional info!

26th March 2020, 05:00 AM	#2
mahratt Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Russia Posts: 1,042	Hello Charles Congratulations! You have a beautiful knife. This is undoubtedly a Yao knife from Africa. I think the handle is not made from ivory, but from a hippo tooth. Yao preferred this material for handles.

26th March 2020, 02:10 PM	#3
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 411	There's one in the Pitt Rivers Museum. Regards Richard http://objects.prm.ox.ac.uk/pages/PRMUID35293.html

26th March 2020, 02:44 PM	#4
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 411	The National Museum of Scotland also has one, Regards Richard https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-co...item_id=338853

26th March 2020, 04:26 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Baldric mount on the Katara and the Omani khanjar are very good evidence . But what clinches the story is the Pitt Rivers example with impeccable provenance. It IS Malawi. Good job, Charles and a truly beautiful dagger with 100% accurate attribution.

26th March 2020, 04:30 PM	#6
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Richard, thanks so much for your additions. Those are very old examples! Ariel, thanks for your comments...you made me do some hard work, but I love it!