More evidence of Indian weaponry 'influences' in 19th C Sudan

[katana]

Hi .
whilst browsing online I discovered an article refering to the weapons of the Sudan. I have long advocated the idea that a number of the Mahdist weapons could have been directly influenced by Indian. The Haldie is one. Jim had mentioned before that Indian military forces had been deployed in the region ....but the haldie would not have been used by them.

A number of possible Sudanese/Indian weapons have been posted here in the past.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=sudan
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=kaskara
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=kaskara

In the article, I found, it stated that .....

"......Apart from weapons from Europe and North Africa, traded across the Sahara, weapons entered the country from battles with the Egyptians, Abyssinian s and expeditions to secure the Ugandan, Congo and Nile tribes. Trophies taken at the battle of Tofrek in 1885, included arms from India - a tulwar sword with dual point and serrated cutting edge and an all steel circular shield (dhal)......."

Sudanese Weapons of the late 19th Century Written by Ralph Moore-Morris of the Victorian Military Society.

http://www.victorianmilitarysociety....icles&Itemid=9

Yet, another Indian sword ...a representation of the Sacred Sword Zulfikar..but one we usually consider a ceremonial weapon (Islamic ? )....so again, a weapon unlikely to be used/carried by any of the Indian Forces deployed in the Sudan.

Comments, as usual, are gratefully received

Kind Regards David