Awl with blade of square section where it enters a round wooden grip, then tapering to a point. Multi-purpose, ie for sewing, branding, etc.
Item number 44 on Jeremy Keenan's item list. One of four marking awls called 'éndel' (plural 'tendalin') in Tamahaq. Keenan acquired this object from Essebet of the Kel Hirafok people. Price paid: 60 dinar (for four awls). Keenan refers to fig 102 in Johannes Nicolaisen's 'Ecology and culture of the pastoral Tuareg, with particular reference to the Tuareg of Ahaggar and Ayr' (Nicolaisen, 1963, p 142, fig 102). Awls are used to burn property marks into the skin of camels and donkeys. See also 1971.1042, 1971.1043 and 1971.1045.
