Jim,
I agree. From the Egyptian "conquest" of Sudan in 1821 until the Mahdiya beginning in 1885 there was a considerable different kinds of swords deployed in Sudan. The Funj mounted guards used imported Arabic-style sabers for 300 years until defeated in 1821. The Mamluks of Muhammad Ali's army was manned by 4,000 Albanians and other nationalities plus various mercenaries who passed through. They had their own styles of weapons. Likely like your fine saber example posted. During the 64 year period there was ample opportunities for captured swords to be adapted and styles to be to be shared and hybrids to develop and survive among the hated Turkiyah occupation soldiers and the native Arabized Sudanese tribes.
Within this period it seems that the native Sudanese tribes had the stronger culture and developed the straight bladed kaskara, grip and cross guard style, and it became more or less fixed. I am nor aware of trophy swords from the Mahdiya Era to be anything other than the kaskara as we know it today.
Best regards,
Ed
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