Origins of the Mandinka saber

Jim McDougall · 8th October 2016, 10:49 PM

Another key point, the scabbards on these carry the familiar flared ends of the Sudanese kaskara, reflecting the transmission of the Omani hilts through those regions prior to trans Saharan networks to Mali and environs. Traffic from Zanzibar into the interior certainly would account for the diffusion of these weapons, just as the so called 'Zanzibar Sword' (Demmin, 1877; Burton 1885; Buttin 1933) was transmitted from Morocco (s'boula daggers) to Zanzibar.

The cross pollination of these weapons reflect the key importance of trade networks in the diffusion of these weapon forms across vast geography .

The name game is actually more a matter of preference for collectors in describing their pieces. For those concerned with the history and development of ethnographic forms it is best to elaborate and qualify terms, rather than try to classify broadly in a category.
As 'Manding sabre' these are instantly recognized, while trying to place them in 'kattara' heading would cause confusion (in my opinion).

8th October 2016, 10:49 PM	#9
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Another key point, the scabbards on these carry the familiar flared ends of the Sudanese kaskara, reflecting the transmission of the Omani hilts through those regions prior to trans Saharan networks to Mali and environs. Traffic from Zanzibar into the interior certainly would account for the diffusion of these weapons, just as the so called 'Zanzibar Sword' (Demmin, 1877; Burton 1885; Buttin 1933) was transmitted from Morocco (s'boula daggers) to Zanzibar. The cross pollination of these weapons reflect the key importance of trade networks in the diffusion of these weapon forms across vast geography . The name game is actually more a matter of preference for collectors in describing their pieces. For those concerned with the history and development of ethnographic forms it is best to elaborate and qualify terms, rather than try to classify broadly in a category. As 'Manding sabre' these are instantly recognized, while trying to place them in 'kattara' heading would cause confusion (in my opinion).