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LOT 1087
Volga-Ural Nomad Sabre
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
35 in. (725 grams, 89 cm).
An iron single-edged sabre with slightly curving blade showing battle nicks, evidence of a possible iron extension together with a tongue to the side of the blade, beneath the straight guard. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired 1971-1972.
From the collection of the vendor's father.
Property of a London, UK, collector.
Accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Cf. similar specimens in Харламов, П.В., ‘Weapons complex of the Nomadic tribes of the Volga-Ural Region in the 9th -11th Centuries (in Russian)’ in Archaeology of the Eurasian Steppes, Vol. I, Kazan, 2017, pp.364-379, esp.figs.6, 14; Lebedinsky, I., De l’epée scythe au sabre mongol, Paris, 2008, pp.172ff.; for discussion on the sabres see Pletneva, S.A., Antiquities of black hoods (in Russian) SAI. Issue, E1-19, Moscow, 1973; Evglevsky, A.V., Potemkina, T.M., ‘Eastern European late nomadic sabers’ in Evglevsky, A.V., European Steppes in the Middle Ages, Vol.1, Donetsk, 2002, pp.291-336.
FootnotesVarious sabres of similar typology were found in a complex of medieval nomad weapons in archaeological excavations in the steppe and forest-steppe zone of the Volga-Ural region; chronologically, they were dated to the 9th-11th centuries.
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Khandjar Type Dagger
19th century A.D.Estimate: £180 - 240 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £100
A very large iron dagger, curved with a thick double edge blade, handle composed of wood and iron, ornately decorated with lozenges, fastened by eight iron flat-headed rivets. 118 grams, 32 cm long
Fine condition.
Private family collection formed in London, mid 1980s to early 1990s.
Among the various Arab dagger groups, the one from North Africa is characterised by rather fine blades made in the Turkish-Persian style. Usually the handles (in wood, ivory and metal) feature a large rounded pommel in the guise of peacock feathers. This type is common in Morocco, Tunisia and all the way to Egypt, and is a type of Khandjar usually called Koummiya or Goummiya (a term later adopted in Spanish as Goumia, to indicate all the short Arab daggers). -
Heniochi Dagger with Beast Heads
4th-2nd century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £520
A short iron dagger with triangular blade, short straight guard surmounted by a bronze pommel characterised by twinned beast heads projecting from each side; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 170 grams, 28 cm (753 grams total, 39 cm high including stand)
Acquired 1971-1972. From the collection of the vendor's father. Property of a London, UK, collector.
The tribe of the Heniochs, according to Artemidorus of Ephesus, existed during the 5th-1st century B.C., on the Black Sea littoral that is part of present-day Abkhazia. Aristotle describes the Heniochi as a group of people "ready enough to kill and eat men." The dagger shows similarities with the pommel of a sword from Akhul Abaa grave 4 with twinned beast heads. These weapons of subtype I, according to the classification of Gamkrelidze-Shatberashvili-Pirtskhalava-Charkviani, were popular not only in Abkhazia, but throughout the territory of west Georgia during the 4th-1st century B.C. -
Luristan Dirk with Cuneiform Inscription
1125-1104 B.C.Estimate: £8,000 - 10,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £4,000
A bronze dirk or dagger with raised flanges to the grip, possibly to accept organic inserts, cuneiform script over two lines inscribed to the blade below the grip on both faces; blade repaired. 188 grams, 40 cm
with a London, UK gallery 1971-early 2000s. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11591-199676.
This is a dagger with an inscription of King Nebuchadnezzar I of Babylon, 1125-1104 B.C. The inscription is identical to those on four other bronze daggers (reportedly from Luristan), three of which are in the Foroughi collection and one in the Iran Bastan museum (National Museum of Iran, inventory no.626/1626). The Type IIIa bronze dirk of the Medveskaya classification belongs to a series of weapons bearing the same engraved inscription in Babylonian cuneiform script which reads: 'It belongs to Nabu, the King of Kiohatti, the King of Babylon, King of Sumer and Akkad'. It was cast in one piece (hilt and blade) and probably formed an endowment to the royal guard.
