The Takouba Sword.

[Peter Hudson]

Readers will be aware that this is the sword of The Tuareg.

There are excellent accounts on this style of weapon which members can reach by simply placing Tuareg Swords...Or Takouba into Search .

On the other hand there is another way of viewing the details by going to the .... top of this page and tapping on www.vikingsword.com and scrolling down to AFRICA where you will find two references to excellent works which are

[B]1.Takouba - Swords of the Saharan Tuareg.
2..Takouba Research Society.[/B

On my travels I have discovered a few examples in variouis antique souks and recently in a Northern England Antiques store .... and I have been interested in other aspects of the weapon ...since I know it was used in unison with the TUAREG spear...and I suspect also with a Tuareg shield ....I suspect that the cross seen carved into the design of the Tuareg Camel Saddle has some relation to this sword or as a further defence mechanism but I dont know for sure... I do know that the Tuareg have occasional camel races and the Takouba is given as first prize to the winner...And I note a further peculiar two bladed sword with a long hilt that looks like a specially designed , perhaps religious ritual or for wearing at celebrations ... I also note that on some blades I have seen the end of the blade is cut or squared off...either by accident or design thus that is another question... and of course the similarity in the two moons facing each other on
each blade face. Peter Hudson.