A rare Egyptian Copper Dagger<br><em>Middle Kingdom, 9th - 11th Dynasty, ca. 2160 - 2030 BCE</em>

A rare, handsome weapon, the tapering double-edged copper blade with raised midrib and high shoulders.  Carved from wood, the short, wide handle is fastened to the broad top of the blade and shaped to fit comfortably into the palm of the hand.  It is decorated with a linear pattern of alternating vertical striations of gold and blue around the circumference. Background:  In the early Dynastic Period dagger blades changed from flint to copper, and in the New Kingdom from copper to bronze.   For hand-to-hand fighting and dispatching a wounded enemy, Egyptian soldiers of the Middle Kingdom were equipped with a club or light axe and frequently a dagger that freely hung from the front of their belt.  Daggers are usually freely hung from belts, although burial sites have found some sheaths. Reference: Mark, Joshua J. "Weapons in Ancient Egypt." Ancient History Encyclopedia. http://www.ancient.eu/article/1035/. Hayes, William C. The Scepter of Egypt: Part I. Hary N. Abrams, Inc (1953), 283-28