On the 'kaskara'

Jim McDougall · 9th May 2005, 05:44 AM

During the course of the unfortunate 'elephant' thread , which I would like to leave there, GAC had posed an interesting query concerning the evolution of the so called 'kaskara', the well known sa'if of the Sudan. Although we have all discussed this familiar, yet inconclusively discussed topic many times over many years, it is interesting to note that the romanticized allusion to the swords of the crusaders persists.

As Rick has suggested, perhaps a thread to discuss these Sudanese broadswords may prove interesting and possibly we might resolve some issues between the legends and reality. GAC has suggested the essay on these written by our own Dr. Lee Jones holds a 'revisionist' perspective which disputes a direct link between the actual swords used by crusaders and the examples used by Sudanese warriors of the 19th c. I would like to begin with some of my own research concerning the evolution of the kaskara.

Although there is an obvious similarity between the kaskara and the medieval swords of the crusades, I very much doubt any of these Sudanese swords are to be found with actual blades of that vintage. If there were such an example I would really like to see it! There does not seem to be any evidence of direct lineage from the crusades for these broadswords in the Sudan and it would appear that thier use derives more from trade that introduced European arms and armour probably in the centuries following . Trade had long existed via the Meditteranean especially from Venice, and in the centuries following the crusades, as arms production expanded so did the volume of weapons made for trade. Although it has long been held that huge supplies of surplus weapons from the crusades were traded off in Africa following these campaigns, I suspect that the same exaggerations exist in these reports as do accounts of numbers of combatants involved.

It is true that the use of broadswords in North Africa, especially in Egypt with the Mamluks, was well established from the advent of Islam in the 7th c.
However it seems that native use of swords to the south in then Nubia, would have been unlikely and their weapons would have been primarily spears. The swords used in Mamluk regions would have of course been of the Islamic forms developing from early straight swords, and by the 13th c. were reflecting characteristics such as the yelman and single edge blade.

In "Kaskara from Northern Darfur, Sudan" by Graham Reed (Journal of the Arms & Armour Society, Vol.XII #3, March 1987, p.171-72) it is noted "...since the 14th and 15th centuries there were extensive lines between North Africa and countries in Europe which had ports on the Meditteranean Sea". The author describes further the trade which entered caravan routes and whereby goods entered regions which ultimately reached Darfur.

One factor that seems to occur often in the study of many ethnographic edged weapons is the apparant influence of numerous Italian weapons, and the prominant maritime dominance of Venice. It is worthy of note here that "...by the mid 15th century Milan itself was in decline and Venice controlled all the remaining North Italian arms centers. German armourers gradually seized domination of the European market from the 16th century but these Venetian manufacturing centers continued to make huge quantities of fine armour, weapons and above all firearms". ("The Venetian Empire:1200-1670" D. Nicolle, 1989, p.41).
Perhaps Venetian trade ships may have carried the "great numbers of straight double edged blades" exported by the Knights of Malta and mentioned by Denham and Clapperton (1826) which arrived eventually in Bornu, and where they claim some 50,000 blades were imported annually in the present time in continued trade (Burton p.162). Burton also notes that most of the 'Baghirmi' cannot afford the kaskara swords. Again these numbers seem suspect, and why would these thousands of blades have been brought in if none could buy them?

The kaskara itself seems to have evolved with trade blades that entered the Sahara from a combination of sources, and of European origin, probably from about the latter 16th century. These blades were likely of Spanish and Italian make earlier, but gradually became most commonly of German manufacture. One of the key hubs of this commerce seems to have been Kano, and the blades and armour seem to have carried eastward where tribal warriors in Bornu and beyond in Darfur were heavily outfitted in medieval weaponry.
The Hausa were from western Sudan regions, and there have been numerous references to the kaskara as 'Hausa', which quite possibly many were. The Darfur examples seem to reflect certain European influences from medieval broadswords including prominantly flared quillons and often a key X in the center of the crossguard. While the kaskara crossguard in my opinion reflects more European influence, I would agree with Toms observation that it has certain resemblance to Turco-Persian crossguards in the single descending langet, which actually is a Mamluk feature seen c. 13th c. I have observed a number of examples, which seem exceptions, that do have crossguards with upper and lower langets though.Most medieval European crossguards have a straight cross without langet, however a rudimentary projection evolved later.

Although the captured European broadswords from the crusades held at Alexandria represent the early ancestry of the form of the kaskara, I would not consider them as directly inspiring them. The Mamluk weapons in Egypt evolved concurrent with other developing Islamic swords, which as is known became the famed and deadly sabres. The anachronistic kaskara developed independantly via trade and traditions in regions of the Sudan that were supplied via Saharan trade caravans.

Having noted all of this, I would like to note again, as I seem to do almost annually, that as yet there has been no satisfactory explanation for the
term 'kaskara'. As I have discussed previously, this term is completely unknown in the Sudan, where these swords are termed simply sa'if.

As always, I very much look forward to observations and thoughts on this. These are fascinating swords with considerable history and I would like to focus on the trade and native production, markings, blade fullering etc.
What about its Taureg cousin, the takouba, and how have these two anachronistic broadswords remained independant forms, which are still worn by the Tuaregs and the kaskara in Darfur.

Best regards,
Jim

Jeff D · 9th May 2005, 06:56 AM

Very nice Jim!

Much of your findings echo mine, plus a whole lot more. Perhaps we should keep this thread to post the earliest kaskara blade, I haven't seen any that predate the mid 18th century. So here is a challange to all! Show me anything earlier and be prepared to prove it.

.

Jeff

Lee · 9th May 2005, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Lee Jones holds a 'revisionist' perspective

This was no great original thinking on my part, but a concept espoused by Briggs in his excellent monograph on takoubas and kaskaras with European-made blades. Briggs was unaware of any examples of either Saharan sword type with surviving medieval blades; I am unaware of any examples that have come to light in the subsequent decades since his publication. As I recall, Briggs postulated that these may have descended from medieval Arab blades, which were also largely straight and double edged. Consider also the Omani kattara.

Quote:

Show me anything earlier and be prepared to prove it.

I feel as though I am presently falling further behind in all aspects of my life; once I take care of some pending obligations, I will post some pictures of some 18th and possibly 17th century European blades so mounted. Unfortunately it will probably be at least a month before the traffic clears.

Jim McDougall · 9th May 2005, 06:11 PM

Thank you so much Jeff! I know that you have put some time in on kaskara study as well, as we have discussed many times over these years !

Thank you Lee for coming in on this as I had hoped. Your outstanding article has been one of the only focused attention works on the kaskara since Briggs (1965) and Reed (1987) and actually I wanted to detach the 'revisionist' stigma. It would seem that serious academic perspective on these swords has long since left the romantic notions of Victorian narration associating these swords with the crusaders, despite the colorful perspective. As you have noted, the Islamic broadsword blades were well established already in these regions by the time of the crusades, so looking to European swords for influence for kaskara ancestry would seem redundant. The later influx of trade blades was the key to development, and the simple but distinct crossguard typically reflected more European influence, also possibly from earlier fully mounted swords that likely came in earlier trade.

I really look forward to seeing these earlier blades of 17th-18th century, as most of what we see these days of kaskaras are late 19th century of course, and many are of the early 20th century. I recall your work on examining blades to distinguish the native blades from European trade examples also which was excellent! The blades from native armourers actually became quite well made, so such determination became increasingly more difficult.

All best regards,
Jim

tom hyle · 9th May 2005, 06:56 PM

It is my impression that the kaskara usually has both upper and lower lagnets, and that the upper lagnet is typically uder the handle wrap, somewhat as seen in Arabia. Perhaps I have seen an atypical sampling. But as to the construction of the kaskara guard, is it hollow enough to take some of the handle material and serve as a ferule, like a Tukish one, or is it pierced only for the tang?
The shape of takouba blades is really interesting, with the wide long-ricassoish base of the blade, and the rest tapering to the narrow, round tip......
Proof can really get in the way someimes though. For example, I remember an Ethiopian sword with typical horn hilt, and with a straight, springy, double-edged blade with a fairly (but not sabrishly) wide groove running out the tip and into the hilt. Its surface was unmarked save by the wear of many polishings and sharpenings. It seemed to show layered steel. This could be a medieval European sword, and why not? As I've mentioned before I've heard and read that one could buy them in England and Germany for around $50 fairly routinely up into the early 1970s, even, and they were liable to be considered "old junk". But there is no proof, of course. Of course. How could there be? What would prove it? What could possibly prove it? Destructive dating tests on the steel?.......So in the setting of unprovable concepts, what use is the idea of proof?
As to the nonuse of metal and/or swords in Africa from early times, I believe that this is history that may be getting revised as we write.....

Radu Transylvanicus · 9th May 2005, 08:23 PM

I think whomever discovers the exact source of inspiration for the takouba is holding the evolutionary key for the kaskara as well. I belong to a generalist European point of view where they are regarded as the closely related straight edged swords of the Islamic black Africa, to be found in the Saharan and Sub-Saharan region.
There is an undeniable European influence in the blades, including direct manufacture and origins of steel but when it comes to the origin I agree that the Arabians would have to share in influence.
I also would like to mention the "revisionist" theory that these sword are direct descendants of the European crusade swords is neither new, neither does it belong to a "romantic Eurocentrist" (thank you Tom, I still use this terminology as you can see). These allegations, preposterous or not, were made actually by the local population and were taken back to the Old World in excitement by naive travelers in the late " golden age of exploration". Even further to fuel this theory, many blades had European marks and lettering, many of them actually crudely stamped by African smiths on local blades in imitation or hope for profit and the methodology used to an untrained eye alongside the rough construction was easily targeted as "crusader influence".
These swords are a good example of the creational universality of arms and armour, a blend of three separate flavours: African, Arabian and European. In my belief, like probably most people, I embrace the ideea that in most types of weaponry there is very little of the "absolute local inventions" but they are rather "inovatory evolutionary creations" ... as in yathagan, khukri, kerises and so on.
Also keep in mind that takoubas and kaskaras were made on large scale, although executed a-la-carte, for the visitors, mainly of European origins ending up as souvenirs. That is exactly why they are largely found in so many collections including basic minimal private ones (no hurt feelings, anyone I hope...).
It would be nice to gather a certain amount of collectors and exchange data in between and trace where differences and similarities reside: length, weigth, European or local blade, fullered or not, characteristics of the handle, materials used, common techniques in fabrication, similar markings, provenance and so on. Gathering data would help in a further and more serious research since they are so readily available, wish I could start but I do not own one, however I know many of you do !
Another issue worth mentioning, speaking of the similarities, is the one between the swolen end leather sheaths on baldrics with hanging knots of the Manding swords and the ones for most kaskara due to interaction in the geographical proximity.

9th May 2005, 05:44 AM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,957	On the 'kaskara' During the course of the unfortunate 'elephant' thread , which I would like to leave there, GAC had posed an interesting query concerning the evolution of the so called 'kaskara', the well known sa'if of the Sudan. Although we have all discussed this familiar, yet inconclusively discussed topic many times over many years, it is interesting to note that the romanticized allusion to the swords of the crusaders persists. As Rick has suggested, perhaps a thread to discuss these Sudanese broadswords may prove interesting and possibly we might resolve some issues between the legends and reality. GAC has suggested the essay on these written by our own Dr. Lee Jones holds a 'revisionist' perspective which disputes a direct link between the actual swords used by crusaders and the examples used by Sudanese warriors of the 19th c. I would like to begin with some of my own research concerning the evolution of the kaskara. Although there is an obvious similarity between the kaskara and the medieval swords of the crusades, I very much doubt any of these Sudanese swords are to be found with actual blades of that vintage. If there were such an example I would really like to see it! There does not seem to be any evidence of direct lineage from the crusades for these broadswords in the Sudan and it would appear that thier use derives more from trade that introduced European arms and armour probably in the centuries following . Trade had long existed via the Meditteranean especially from Venice, and in the centuries following the crusades, as arms production expanded so did the volume of weapons made for trade. Although it has long been held that huge supplies of surplus weapons from the crusades were traded off in Africa following these campaigns, I suspect that the same exaggerations exist in these reports as do accounts of numbers of combatants involved. It is true that the use of broadswords in North Africa, especially in Egypt with the Mamluks, was well established from the advent of Islam in the 7th c. However it seems that native use of swords to the south in then Nubia, would have been unlikely and their weapons would have been primarily spears. The swords used in Mamluk regions would have of course been of the Islamic forms developing from early straight swords, and by the 13th c. were reflecting characteristics such as the yelman and single edge blade. In "Kaskara from Northern Darfur, Sudan" by Graham Reed (Journal of the Arms & Armour Society, Vol.XII #3, March 1987, p.171-72) it is noted "...since the 14th and 15th centuries there were extensive lines between North Africa and countries in Europe which had ports on the Meditteranean Sea". The author describes further the trade which entered caravan routes and whereby goods entered regions which ultimately reached Darfur. One factor that seems to occur often in the study of many ethnographic edged weapons is the apparant influence of numerous Italian weapons, and the prominant maritime dominance of Venice. It is worthy of note here that "...by the mid 15th century Milan itself was in decline and Venice controlled all the remaining North Italian arms centers. German armourers gradually seized domination of the European market from the 16th century but these Venetian manufacturing centers continued to make huge quantities of fine armour, weapons and above all firearms". ("The Venetian Empire:1200-1670" D. Nicolle, 1989, p.41). Perhaps Venetian trade ships may have carried the "great numbers of straight double edged blades" exported by the Knights of Malta and mentioned by Denham and Clapperton (1826) which arrived eventually in Bornu, and where they claim some 50,000 blades were imported annually in the present time in continued trade (Burton p.162). Burton also notes that most of the 'Baghirmi' cannot afford the kaskara swords. Again these numbers seem suspect, and why would these thousands of blades have been brought in if none could buy them? The kaskara itself seems to have evolved with trade blades that entered the Sahara from a combination of sources, and of European origin, probably from about the latter 16th century. These blades were likely of Spanish and Italian make earlier, but gradually became most commonly of German manufacture. One of the key hubs of this commerce seems to have been Kano, and the blades and armour seem to have carried eastward where tribal warriors in Bornu and beyond in Darfur were heavily outfitted in medieval weaponry. The Hausa were from western Sudan regions, and there have been numerous references to the kaskara as 'Hausa', which quite possibly many were. The Darfur examples seem to reflect certain European influences from medieval broadswords including prominantly flared quillons and often a key X in the center of the crossguard. While the kaskara crossguard in my opinion reflects more European influence, I would agree with Toms observation that it has certain resemblance to Turco-Persian crossguards in the single descending langet, which actually is a Mamluk feature seen c. 13th c. I have observed a number of examples, which seem exceptions, that do have crossguards with upper and lower langets though.Most medieval European crossguards have a straight cross without langet, however a rudimentary projection evolved later. Although the captured European broadswords from the crusades held at Alexandria represent the early ancestry of the form of the kaskara, I would not consider them as directly inspiring them. The Mamluk weapons in Egypt evolved concurrent with other developing Islamic swords, which as is known became the famed and deadly sabres. The anachronistic kaskara developed independantly via trade and traditions in regions of the Sudan that were supplied via Saharan trade caravans. Having noted all of this, I would like to note again, as I seem to do almost annually, that as yet there has been no satisfactory explanation for the term 'kaskara'. As I have discussed previously, this term is completely unknown in the Sudan, where these swords are termed simply sa'if. As always, I very much look forward to observations and thoughts on this. These are fascinating swords with considerable history and I would like to focus on the trade and native production, markings, blade fullering etc. What about its Taureg cousin, the takouba, and how have these two anachronistic broadswords remained independant forms, which are still worn by the Tuaregs and the kaskara in Darfur. Best regards, Jim

9th May 2005, 06:11 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,957	Thank you so much Jeff! I know that you have put some time in on kaskara study as well, as we have discussed many times over these years ! Thank you Lee for coming in on this as I had hoped. Your outstanding article has been one of the only focused attention works on the kaskara since Briggs (1965) and Reed (1987) and actually I wanted to detach the 'revisionist' stigma. It would seem that serious academic perspective on these swords has long since left the romantic notions of Victorian narration associating these swords with the crusaders, despite the colorful perspective. As you have noted, the Islamic broadsword blades were well established already in these regions by the time of the crusades, so looking to European swords for influence for kaskara ancestry would seem redundant. The later influx of trade blades was the key to development, and the simple but distinct crossguard typically reflected more European influence, also possibly from earlier fully mounted swords that likely came in earlier trade. I really look forward to seeing these earlier blades of 17th-18th century, as most of what we see these days of kaskaras are late 19th century of course, and many are of the early 20th century. I recall your work on examining blades to distinguish the native blades from European trade examples also which was excellent! The blades from native armourers actually became quite well made, so such determination became increasingly more difficult. All best regards, Jim Last edited by Jim McDougall; 9th May 2005 at 06:21 PM.

9th May 2005, 08:23 PM	#6
Radu Transylvanicus Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 2008-2010 Bali, 1998-2008 USA Posts: 271	I think whomever discovers the exact source of inspiration for the takouba is holding the evolutionary key for the kaskara as well. I belong to a generalist European point of view where they are regarded as the closely related straight edged swords of the Islamic black Africa, to be found in the Saharan and Sub-Saharan region. There is an undeniable European influence in the blades, including direct manufacture and origins of steel but when it comes to the origin I agree that the Arabians would have to share in influence. I also would like to mention the "revisionist" theory that these sword are direct descendants of the European crusade swords is neither new, neither does it belong to a "romantic Eurocentrist" (thank you Tom, I still use this terminology as you can see). These allegations, preposterous or not, were made actually by the local population and were taken back to the Old World in excitement by naive travelers in the late " golden age of exploration". Even further to fuel this theory, many blades had European marks and lettering, many of them actually crudely stamped by African smiths on local blades in imitation or hope for profit and the methodology used to an untrained eye alongside the rough construction was easily targeted as "crusader influence". These swords are a good example of the creational universality of arms and armour, a blend of three separate flavours: African, Arabian and European. In my belief, like probably most people, I embrace the ideea that in most types of weaponry there is very little of the "absolute local inventions" but they are rather "inovatory evolutionary creations" ... as in yathagan, khukri, kerises and so on. Also keep in mind that takoubas and kaskaras were made on large scale, although executed a-la-carte, for the visitors, mainly of European origins ending up as souvenirs. That is exactly why they are largely found in so many collections including basic minimal private ones (no hurt feelings, anyone I hope...). It would be nice to gather a certain amount of collectors and exchange data in between and trace where differences and similarities reside: length, weigth, European or local blade, fullered or not, characteristics of the handle, materials used, common techniques in fabrication, similar markings, provenance and so on. Gathering data would help in a further and more serious research since they are so readily available, wish I could start but I do not own one, however I know many of you do ! Another issue worth mentioning, speaking of the similarities, is the one between the swolen end leather sheaths on baldrics with hanging knots of the Manding swords and the ones for most kaskara due to interaction in the geographical proximity. Last edited by Radu Transylvanicus; 9th May 2005 at 08:57 PM.

9th May 2005, 06:56 AM	#2
Jeff D Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 473	Very nice Jim! Much of your findings echo mine, plus a whole lot more. Perhaps we should keep this thread to post the earliest kaskara blade, I haven't seen any that predate the mid 18th century. So here is a challange to all! Show me anything earlier and be prepared to prove it. . Jeff

9th May 2005, 06:56 PM	#5
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	It is my impression that the kaskara usually has both upper and lower lagnets, and that the upper lagnet is typically uder the handle wrap, somewhat as seen in Arabia. Perhaps I have seen an atypical sampling. But as to the construction of the kaskara guard, is it hollow enough to take some of the handle material and serve as a ferule, like a Tukish one, or is it pierced only for the tang? The shape of takouba blades is really interesting, with the wide long-ricassoish base of the blade, and the rest tapering to the narrow, round tip...... Proof can really get in the way someimes though. For example, I remember an Ethiopian sword with typical horn hilt, and with a straight, springy, double-edged blade with a fairly (but not sabrishly) wide groove running out the tip and into the hilt. Its surface was unmarked save by the wear of many polishings and sharpenings. It seemed to show layered steel. This could be a medieval European sword, and why not? As I've mentioned before I've heard and read that one could buy them in England and Germany for around $50 fairly routinely up into the early 1970s, even, and they were liable to be considered "old junk". But there is no proof, of course. Of course. How could there be? What would prove it? What could possibly prove it? Destructive dating tests on the steel?.......So in the setting of unprovable concepts, what use is the idea of proof? As to the nonuse of metal and/or swords in Africa from early times, I believe that this is history that may be getting revised as we write.....