Jack,
Your last sword has a righteous imported 19th C. blade with nicely done fullers and half moon etchings. To me the croc skins were incorporated to appeal to Victorian travelers post-reconguest. The grip is too rough for a legitimate hand hold and the scabbard appears not to have attachments for a baldric to carry it over the shoulder. While there are mentions of "crocodile cults", I haven't run across any reports in Sudanese Notes & Records that has lots of ethnographic papers dating from 1918 to 1974; and I've browsed most of the them. Also, over use of croc imagery doesn't seem "Islamic". The above is based on belief rather than facts so take it as you will.
Regards,
Ed
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