Origin: Tuareg (Mali, Niger)

Local name: telek (Tamashek language)

Dating: 20^th century

Dimensions:

MŻo/A/4005/a-b:
A/ dagger: length 76.5 cm, width 12 cm, depth 3.2 cm
B/ sheath: length 61 cm, width 4.6 cm, depth 1.2 cm

MŻo/A/4007/a-b:
A/ dagger: length 68.2 cm, width 13.2 cm, depth 3.2 cm
B/ sheath: length 49.2 cm, width 3.3 cm, depth 1.3 cm

MŻo/A/4008/a-b:
A/ dagger: length 69.9 cm, width 9.2 cm, depth 3.2 cm
B/ sheath: length 52.6 cm, width 3.8 cm, depth 1.5 cm

MŻo/A/4009/a-b:
A/ dagger: length 51.5 cm, width 7 cm, depth 0.8 cm
B/ sheath: length 37.6 cm, width 4.6 cm, depth 1.2 cm

MŻo/A/4010/a-b:
A/ dagger: length 62 cm, width 11.2 cm, depth 3.4 cm
B/ sheath: length 43.7 cm, width 3.9 cm, depth 1.3 cm

MŻo/A/4011/a-b:
A/ dagger: length 39.3 cm, width 11.5 cm, depth 1.3 cm
B/ sheath: length 22.6 cm, width 2.3 cm, depth 1.8 cm

MŻo/A/4012/a-b:
A/ dagger: length 45.8 cm, width 8.8 cm, depth 3.5 cm
B/ sheath: length 32.3 cm, width 3.5 cm, depth 1.3 cm

MŻo/A/4014/a-b:
A/ dagger: length 60.2 cm, width 5.9 cm, depth 0.8 cm
B/ sheath: length 41.6 cm, width 3.5 cm, depth 1.2 cm

Material: wood, metal, leather

Techniques: blacksmithing

Obtained by: Adam Rybiński

MŻo/A/ 4005/a-b: antique shop, France, 2015

MŻo/A/ 4006/a-b: antique shop, France, 2015

MŻo/A/ 4007/a-b: antique shop, France, 2015

MŻo/A/ 4008/a-b: antique shop, France, 2014

MŻo/A/ 4009/a-b: antique shop, France, 2014

MŻo/A/ 4010/a-b: antique shop, France, 2010

MŻo/A/ 4011/a-b: antique shop, France, 2010

MŻo/A/ 4012/a-b: antique shop, France, 2014

MŻo/A/ 4014/a-b: shop, Tamanrasset, 1974

Description:

Tuareg society consists of many tribes (ettebel), within which there is a division into castes. “The highest position is occupied by noble families, which were formed by ancient warriors called ihaggaren or imajeren. The imrad vassal families, mainly engaged in shepherding, were subordinated to them” [Rybiński 2015: 16]. Aristocrats have light skin, hence they are called white Tuaregs, as opposed to black people with a low social position. "Among them, a special group are ineden - craftsmen (blacksmiths) who are also doctors and sorcerers, who are despised, but also feared by everyone" [Rybiński 2015: 17].

The weapon was used during attacks on camps, most often in summer, when the camps were dispersed. Each expedition consisted of an ihaggaren and an imrad belonging to one tribe. “A group of egen (pl. ignam) setting out on an expedition usually consisted of over 15 warriors. All participants chose a leader. Before setting out, the warriors swore to help each other. After the scouts recognized the area and selected the victim, they attacked unexpectedly" [Rybiński 1999: 142-143]. Attacks are not a thing of the past for the Tuaregs, only the type of weapons has changed, and nowadays firearms, including machine guns, dominate. In turn, in the 1950s, "most Tuareg nomads carried swords and other weapons" [Sztrantowicz 1999: 442].

The presented "bracelet daggers" (gozma in Aïra, rilok in Hoggar) were worn on the shoulder and were used for close combat, sometimes for throwing. They were attached to the forearm in such a way that they could be quickly grabbed and used in battle. The sheath was most often finished with green leather applications and a geometric ornament made of metal elements. There is a belief among the craftsmen of the northern Tuareg groups that all leather dyeing and decorating techniques are borrowed from the south [Sztrantowicz 1999: 455]. On the handle there is a "shield amulet" made of copper and brass. According to Tuareg beliefs, such a combination of metals stops the blood flowing from wounds [Gabus 1958: 249, Nicolaisen 1963: 167; Lhote 1984: 228]. European motifs are visible on many examples of weapons, daggers and swords. Acid etched on the blade, they represent the marks of European craftsmen [Gabus 1958: 246].

The largest Tuareg collections in Poland have - apart from the Municipal Museum in Żory - the State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw and the National Museum in Szczecin. The latter contains about 200 Tuareg objects, dominated by everyday objects. Tuareg weapons are not very well represented [Łapott 1999: 421].

Bibliography:

Gabus Jean, 1958, Au Sahara. Arts et symboles, Neuchâtel: A la Baconnière.

Lhote Henri, 1984, Les Touaregs du Hoggar, Paris.

Łapott Jacek, 1999, Tuaredzy i ich kultura w zbiorach Muzeum Narodowego w Szczecinie, „Materiały Zachodniopomorskie” v. 44, pp. 387-438.

Nicolaisen Johannes, 1963, Ecology and Culture of the Pastoral Tuareg with Particular Reference to the Tuareg of Ahaggar and Ayr, Copenhagen: The National Museum of Copenhagen.

Rybiński Adam, 1999, Tuaregowie z Sahary. Tradycyjna kultura Tuaregów Kel Ahaggar na przełomie XIX i XX wieku, Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Akademickie Dialog.

Rybiński Adam, 2015, Błękitne miraże. Kolekcja tuareska Adama Rybińskiego, Warszawa: Państwowe Muzeum Etnograficzne.

Rybiński Adam, information provided during interviews (2020-2022).

Sztrantowicz Marek, 1999, Takuba – dzieje miecza, „Materiały Zachodniopomorskie” v. 44, pp. 439-460

Edited by Lucjan Buchalik

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The purchase is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport as part of the National Institute of Museums and Collections' own program "Expansion of museum collections".