Kaskara for comments

[TVV]

It took me a while until I got my first kaskara (or Sudanese sa'yf, but kaskara i easier and everyone knows what I mean). It is long, about 40 inches in length in total.
I hope it is an antique sword as it does not strike me as anything intended to be a souvenir. I think the blade is a locally forged one and aimed at imitating German trade blades. I was intrigued by the "wolf" marking. As you can see, it is very rough, just like the markings on the other side of the blade. My guess is that the latter are illegible and a translation would be impossible to obtain.
The crossguard is steel and quite massive. I have taken a picture of how it has four langets, with the one running parallel to the hilt tucked inside the hilt wrapping, as I remembered an old thread in which there was a discussion about this.
The hilt is missing the pommel and is covered in animal hide with some fur still on. I have no idea about what animal it is. If I have to guess I would say it is most likely something domesticated, such as a goat, but I would love to hear suggestions.
Also, what is your opinion about the age and the origin of the blade?
Thank you,
Teodor

[Jim McDougall]

Hi Teodor,
This is what I would consider a classic example of kaskara (and thank you for noting the correct term sa'if, as discussed for years from Darfur. It seems one of the key identifiers of Darfur examples is the raised cross at the juncture of quillons and langets, seen in examples in "Kaskara from Northern Darfur, Sudan" (Graham Reed, JAAS, Vol. XII, #3, March 1987). In example LII, an example with this distinct cross on the guard, and the blade has a similar central fuller, with the 'running wolf' with it noted that it is likely German trade blade of 18th century. I think your example may well be one of the Solingen blades but not sure if that early, and although even the German interpretations of the wolf are primitive looking, these seem shallower and possibly native added.

The interesting inscribing on the opposite side of the blade is not likely to represent writing of any kind, but seems to correspond with the almost runic, stick type characters often seen in the figures used as camel brands in these regions (see works by H.A.MacMichael on the Sudan and Kordofan in 1913 and 1922). I cannot say what these groupings of symbolic figures would signify, but simply supports native application, and seems contemporary with the wolf marking.

The hilt is of course missing the disc pommel, and the wood grip is covered as noted, with animal hide, most likely goat. In Reed (op.cit. p.168) it is mentioned that scabbards were often of goat skin stained red or brown. On most of the Darfur hilts I have seen they typically have some element of crocodile hide, but since goat hide was so prevalently used, it seems that it would not be unlikely to have had the grip covered in this material.

The kaskara remains a prominant symbol of prestige among the Fur in Darfur, and it is not surprising to see these refurbished many times through the years. This blade has some potential with what appears to be distinct aging under the langet, and seems to have been cleaned with components intact.
It is quite possible for this to be a native forged blade, but has strong possibility it may be German trade of 19th century.

Congratulations Teodor! Well done for your first example!!

All best regards,
Jim

[katana]

Hi Teodor ,
interesting sword, the first I have seen with a 'fur' handle. The 'X' detail on the crossguard where it meets the langets is another thing I have not seen before....a nice 'touch'.
I also noticed that one of the markings seems to be the 'half moon' often associated with these and Takouba.

Well done....good ones (older) are not so common....it seems.

Kind Regards David

.

[TVV]

Jim and David,

Thank you very much for you comments.
I did not know about the raised cross at the crossguard junction. It is really nice to be able to narrow the origin down to a specific geographic area, in this case Darfur.
There are actually two wrappings, with another layer of leather underneath the goat hide. Most of the fur from the goat hide is gone, aand it mostly remains towards the crossguard. It feels comfortable in the hand. Personally, if it has to be wrapped in some sort of hide/leather, I'd rather have goat hide than lizard or crocodile skin. I find the hilts, mounted with crocodile legs a bit repulsive.
David's observation on one of the markings with cemi-circular shape is interesting, and I was wondering the same thing. However, are there any other instances, in which laf-moon symbols co-exist with "running wolf" symbols on the same blade?

Again, thank you for your replies,

Teodor

[katana]

Hi Teodor,
Kaskara blades were often locally marked / etched .... copying earlier markings seen on European blades. I have seen blades etched/chiselled with sun,star and the half moon symbols (which seemed to be original to the blade) with a snake (added later) design running down the fuller with Arabic script.
In essence the locals viewed the markings on the 'imported' blades as talismatic, a sign of quality......or both. So differing combinations of these symbols 'co-exist' on the same blade.

Interestingly, it seems that some late 19th C 'trade' blades have no markings at all Whether this was due to the Madhist uprising or not...who knows ?? (perhaps, the demand for swords required quickly gave little time to 'embellish' the blades with symbols)

Regards David

[Lew]

I see that one of the marks resembles the running wolf mark seen on German blades and the cross guard seems 19th century to me. I would remove the goat skin to see what condition the hilt is in. As for the pommel one can easily create a new one they are attached to the hilt by a cross pin ans can be recovered in some old leather.


Lew