The sgian-dubh (pronounced as ski-en doo) is a small, single-edged knife that forms part of the traditional Scottish Highland dress.
Nowadays, the knife is worn at the top of the sock, with only the grip visible. The sgian-dubh is usually worn on the side of the dominant hand (so on the right for right-handed people).
The name comes from Scottish Gaelic:
- sgian means knife
- dubh means black, but can also mean hidden.
Although sgian is a feminine word and in modern Gaelic would actually be called sgian dhubh, sgian-dubh is the established traditional name that is always used.
Origin
The sgian-dubh probably originated from the sgian-achlais, a slightly larger dagger that was worn under the arm, in the sleeve.
From the 16th to 18th centuries, the Scots frequently used this weapon, hidden in the sleeve or in the lining of their jacket. In the late 1500s, the Scottish king issued strict laws through the Privy Council to reduce the clan feuds and duels that constantly plagued the country. These laws stated that concealed weapons were forbidden (as described in the royal work Basilikon Doron, 1599).
Yet it was almost impossible to enforce this law, partly because the Scottish government, which was established in the urbanized lowlands, had little grip on this region. As a result, the highlanders continued to carry visible and concealed weapons, and clan feuds remained central to Highland culture right up until the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
It was probably around that time that people began wearing the sgian not in the sleeve, but in the sock.
According to the rules of the Gaelic hospitality principle, when entering someone's home, one had to display all concealed weapons. That's why people would take out the sgian-achlais and place it visibly at the top of the sock, held in place by a garter.
Relation to hunting knives
The sgian-dubh also resembles the small hunting knife that was part of a set of hunting knives.
Such a set consisted of:
- a large knife approximately 23 to 25 cm long
- a smaller knife approximately 10 cm for skinning animals
Both often had antler handles, just like many early sgian-dubhs.
The larger hunting knife is considered a further development of the Scottish dirk.
History and development
The sgian-dubh appears in portraits of men in kilt from the mid-19th century.
A well-known example is a painting by Sir Henry Raeburn of Colonel Alasdair Ranaldson MacDonell of Glengarry, which hangs in the National Gallery of Scotland.
It shows him wearing a dirk at his belt and in his right sock a set of two sgian-dubhs.
A similar sgian-dubh is held in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland.
Early knives varied in shape. Some had a truncated point (like American Bowie knives), others a curved point, but nowadays the sharp point is standard.
Many old blades were made of German or Scandinavian steel, which was highly valued by the Highlanders.
A typical sgian-dubh has a short blade of approximately 7.5 to 9 cm.
On the back, there is often decoration with small grooves or ripples, something that is typical of Scottish knives.
Sheath and decoration
Traditionally, the sheath is made of leather that has been reinforced with wood and decorated with silver or other metals.
The decorations often feature thistles, Celtic knots or heraldic symbols such as family crests.
Yet the sheath usually remains hidden, as it sits concealed in the sock.
The modern Sgian-dubh
Nowadays, the sgian-dubh is mainly a ceremonial part of Highland dress.
It is no longer used for cutting or for defense.
Internal links
- Scottish Dirk: history, use and cultural significance
- The Basket-Hilted Sword: The Evolution of the Basket Hilt
- The backsword: the robust single-edged sword
- About Scottish targe
Sources:
- Academic Literature: James D. Forman, The Scottish Dirk (also covers the evolution of smaller Scottish knives).
- Museum Collection: National Museums Scotland (Edinburgh).
