Sword for comment

[Taffjones]

Hi Guys,
Would like some opinions/constructive comments on this sword please. I would be grateful if somebody would be able to do a translation as well.

Thanks in advance
Darren

[A.alnakkas]

a nice Sudanese kaskara. Blade is probably locally made with imitation inscriptions in European style. The Arabian script appears to be acid etched, can read it if you take proper photos :-)

[Iain]

What the gentleman above me said. These swords are still made today. This one may have a trade blade but the inscriptions and designs wouldn't be European most likely. The themes present on the blade often seen on these swords (the snake and astral themes).

A nice piece.

[Taffjones]

Thanks for the replies so far. Have just tried to take some better close up photographs of the script. Apologies if I have the writing the wrong way up etc.

[Iain]

Hi Darren,

One thing you might try is taking a good look under the cross guard with a strong light, if this is a trade blade it might have a stamp on the base of the blade. This is often obscured by the guard.

[Jim McDougall]

Darren, this kaskara is a particularly nice find mostly for the blade with these significant markings and motif. These are well described in Reed, 1987, ("Kaskara from Northern Darfur, Sudan, JAAS, Vol XII, #3, March 1987) where plate LV shows several associated examples.
I would think this blade may be from the early 20th century, and while it seems well made enough to be European, probably is of native manufacture. The motif on this blade includes the crescent moons and devotional inscription panel associated with the Lohr, a wooden board used by religious scribes . The moons represent significant cosmological configurations often relating to key times or events, and the snake represents the python (assala) important symbolically in native folk religions of these regions.

Certain of these markings are clearly imitating the face on European astral markings often seen on trade blades. The crescent moon within circle is distinctly mentioned by Reed (example d) and termed locally 'the old moon in the new moons' arms' and associated with events or symbolism as mentioned.