Kaskara Cross-guards—a second essay for comment by Ed Hunley

Ian · 18th August 2018, 11:50 PM

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Moderator's Comment:

The following essay on the crossguards—quillons and langets—of kaskara swords was prepared by Ed Hunley for discussion and comment.
As with another recent effort by Ed regarding silver-covered hilts on kaskara, this essay is quite long and graphically rich,

and therefore needed to be divided into sections to accommodate posting limitations imposed by the Forum.
My role has been to help place the material on to the Forum pages and provide some editorial suggestions.
All substantive comments should be directed to Ed. Ian.

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The kaskara sword’s cross-guard (quillon) is a signature design element of the weapon, yet it has been largely ignored in the literature. The guard is notable for its four-sided “lozenge” cross-section, often flared at the ends. It performs two or three functions:

protection of the user’s hand from sword strikes;
a structural element to “unitize” and secure the blade, guard and grip into a functional whole; and, perhaps debatable,
a surface to place a forefinger to help control the user's strike.

Our main interests herein will be the lozenge design element, the Sudanese names of the stylistic variations, and the methods of quillon fabrication. This presentation is based on limited primary on-site research at the sword and knife makers’ market in Kassala, Sudan over six days in the spring of 1984 and field notes, as well as:

direct inspection of four kaskaras in my collection acquired in Kassala;
a wealth of online information and images from researchers, enthusiasts and collectors in multiple posts on the Ethnographic Arms and Armor Forum of vikingsword.com; and
the reading of period travelers’ accounts and seminal books of arms and armor authors.

Despite these rich resources, no doubt there are serious gaps in our knowledge and understanding of the subject. This preliminary presentation will be greatly enhanced by comments, discussions, and corrections from readers of these pages.

The preponderance of travelers’ narratives permit us to stipulate that, at least during the 18th and 19th C, most of the straight broadsword blades used in the Central and Eastern Sahel Region—the strip from the Hausa states, Karem-Bornu, Wadai, Darfur, Kordofan and Funj—were imported from Europe, overwhelmingly in bulk from Solingen, Germany. Many were imported via Bornu, mounted there, and distributed through the region, as noted by Denham, et al. (1822), Barth (1850), and Tonkin (1903). An earlier report from the Funj area (Father Theodoro Krump, 1700–1702) noted that a European swordsmith in Sinnar could not find work and made iron currency pieces. Native blades, of variable quality, were made in Sudan at least from the Mahdiya period (1881–1898) and “factory production” continues today in Omdurman, Kassala, and Port Sudan.

These swords are known to Western enthusiasts and collectors for their iconic qualities and are referred to as the kaskara. While the blade is the business end, it is not the focus of this investigation. The gripped end of the sword defines the nominal kaskara: it typically consists of a wooden grip wrapped in a leather strip, topped with a leather-bound disk, and a characteristic range of simple straight cross-guards or quillons. The kaskara is always carried in a scabbard with a leaf-like profile at the bottom. [Note: Mandinka swords from West Africa also have a leaf-shaped scabbard, but there are apparently no strong cultural links that would have influenced the design of the kaskara’s scabbard.]

Quillons are made by specialized craftsmen, not swordsmiths. Typically, a blacksmith forges the complete unit and other artisans smooth and finish the item before passing it on to the swordsmith who assembles the unified basic sword. There were four cross-guard makers in Kassaka in 1984: one of these makers was described as producing "excellent" examples, one "good" and two "poor." Each could make up to 10 units per day. A separate worker finished them with a file and sand paper.

Five types of quillons are identified:

1. Sammaniya

a. Small flare, forged iron
b. Large flare, forged iron
c. Large flare, gilded forged iron and perhaps cast copper alloy

2. Mutamaan, forged iron

3. Sennariya, forged iron

4. One-piece, forged angle iron

5. Cast copper alloy on Thuluth swords

The swordsmiths of the Kassala Suq al Hadad provided me the technical details of Types 1–4 above. The cross-guard is called tomot in the Hadendawa language for "two boys going together" re the two langets perpendicular to the horizontal. The Arabic word is bersham.

1. Sammaniya

The Sammaniya form, with its flared lozenge ends, is perhaps the signature style of the Sudanese Kaskara. The cross-guard has two side facets on front and back, with a flat top and bottom, for a total of six forged surfaces. The guard is forged one half at a time. The front and back langets, extending above and below the quillon body halves (four pieces) are then forge-welded into a complete unit. This is the common construction technique of the three named forms. See Figure 1 below.

The origin of the name is unknown. It is known that the Sammaniya Sufi order was introduced into Sudan soon after 1775. The Mahdi inherited the leadership of this order, but then condemned Sufi practices as against the values of the Mahdiya movement. After 1899, under British administration, sufism, always just under the surface, re-emerged to its former popular level.

We see Sammaniyas in three versions, as noted above. I suggest that the small flare is the parent design. Its origin is unknown. Its genesis is mainly debated to be either the Funj Kingdom in the 1500–1821 period, to the West in the Hausa and Bornu areas, the Mamluk designs up the Nile or via NE Sudan Arab immigrations from Arabia and Red Sea trade routes. Sir Samuel Baker (1861), while in Eastern Sudan, recorded that the Arab tribesmen in that area used similar double-edged straight swords with a plain bar cross-guard. He did not note any details of the guard. Sheiks and other high status individuals carried swords with silver mounted hilts as symbols of their authority.

Less extreme/normal flares, represent the ancestor of the form. A typical example shown in Figure 1, reportedly made in 1916 in Kassala, has the six forged surfaces and a modest flare to the diamond lozenge. This is quality work. Note the symmetrical facets, flat top, vertically aligned lozenges, and forge-welded langet. A Kassala swordsmith said in 1984 that this type of guard can no longer be made by contemporary smiths.

Sometimes a decorative “X” is cut in the center of the cross-guard. Most are found on Sammaniya styles, in both the greater- and less-flared examples. It is a stylistic enhancement with no other apparent meaning. My informant in 1984 said that some people preferred it. In my collection, the example shown in Figure 1 does not have an “X,” and another one that does is not a good example. An illustrative example is shown in Figure 2 from Sothebys’ auction site.

The extreme flares may be the highest form of Kaskara art. These are most often seen on presentation swords, like several from Ali Dinar's arsenal in Darfur in the 1902–1915 period. The forged iron example from Sothebys' site was dated 1902–1903 (Figure 2). In the enlargement notice the “X,” the filed lines at the ends of the lozenges, and the faceted lower langet. The enhanced langet detail is not seen in normally flared examples. Also, note the inscriptions on the ends of the lozenges.

Some extreme flares are seen on gilded, forged iron examples, for example British Museum kaskara Aft. 1932.1014. An example from Christies has a gilded guard (Figure 3). Another example of unknown origin has a rough cast copper alloy quillon with flared tips [Figure 4 (by Stephen Wood)]. I have seen no historical reference to Sudanese copper alloy casting practices. El Tounsy (1851) did observe that, along with blacksmiths and weavers, founders were among the trades present in Darfur and Wadai. The necessary materials were available in Darfur: zinc and old copper were imported from Egypt and were highly valued.

-----------Figures 1,2,3,4----------
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18th August 2018, 11:50 PM	#1
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,197	Kaskara Cross-guards—a second essay for comment by Ed Hunley (part 1) -------------------------------------------- Moderator's Comment: The following essay on the crossguards—quillons and langets—of kaskara swords was prepared by Ed Hunley for discussion and comment. As with another recent effort by Ed regarding silver-covered hilts on kaskara, this essay is quite long and graphically rich, and therefore needed to be divided into sections to accommodate posting limitations imposed by the Forum. My role has been to help place the material on to the Forum pages and provide some editorial suggestions. All substantive comments should be directed to Ed. Ian. --------------------------------------------- The kaskara sword’s cross-guard (quillon) is a signature design element of the weapon, yet it has been largely ignored in the literature. The guard is notable for its four-sided “lozenge” cross-section, often flared at the ends. It performs two or three functions: protection of the user’s hand from sword strikes; a structural element to “unitize” and secure the blade, guard and grip into a functional whole; and, perhaps debatable, a surface to place a forefinger to help control the user's strike. Our main interests herein will be the lozenge design element, the Sudanese names of the stylistic variations, and the methods of quillon fabrication. This presentation is based on limited primary on-site research at the sword and knife makers’ market in Kassala, Sudan over six days in the spring of 1984 and field notes, as well as: direct inspection of four kaskaras in my collection acquired in Kassala; a wealth of online information and images from researchers, enthusiasts and collectors in multiple posts on the Ethnographic Arms and Armor Forum of vikingsword.com; and the reading of period travelers’ accounts and seminal books of arms and armor authors. Despite these rich resources, no doubt there are serious gaps in our knowledge and understanding of the subject. This preliminary presentation will be greatly enhanced by comments, discussions, and corrections from readers of these pages. The preponderance of travelers’ narratives permit us to stipulate that, at least during the 18th and 19th C, most of the straight broadsword blades used in the Central and Eastern Sahel Region—the strip from the Hausa states, Karem-Bornu, Wadai, Darfur, Kordofan and Funj—were imported from Europe, overwhelmingly in bulk from Solingen, Germany. Many were imported via Bornu, mounted there, and distributed through the region, as noted by Denham, et al. (1822), Barth (1850), and Tonkin (1903). An earlier report from the Funj area (Father Theodoro Krump, 1700–1702) noted that a European swordsmith in Sinnar could not find work and made iron currency pieces. Native blades, of variable quality, were made in Sudan at least from the Mahdiya period (1881–1898) and “factory production” continues today in Omdurman, Kassala, and Port Sudan. These swords are known to Western enthusiasts and collectors for their iconic qualities and are referred to as the kaskara. While the blade is the business end, it is not the focus of this investigation. The gripped end of the sword defines the nominal kaskara: it typically consists of a wooden grip wrapped in a leather strip, topped with a leather-bound disk, and a characteristic range of simple straight cross-guards or quillons. The kaskara is always carried in a scabbard with a leaf-like profile at the bottom. [Note: Mandinka swords from West Africa also have a leaf-shaped scabbard, but there are apparently no strong cultural links that would have influenced the design of the kaskara’s scabbard.] Quillons are made by specialized craftsmen, not swordsmiths. Typically, a blacksmith forges the complete unit and other artisans smooth and finish the item before passing it on to the swordsmith who assembles the unified basic sword. There were four cross-guard makers in Kassaka in 1984: one of these makers was described as producing "excellent" examples, one "good" and two "poor." Each could make up to 10 units per day. A separate worker finished them with a file and sand paper. Five types of quillons are identified: 1. Sammaniya a. Small flare, forged iron b. Large flare, forged iron c. Large flare, gilded forged iron and perhaps cast copper alloy 2. Mutamaan, forged iron 3. Sennariya, forged iron 4. One-piece, forged angle iron 5. Cast copper alloy on Thuluth swords The swordsmiths of the Kassala Suq al Hadad provided me the technical details of Types 1–4 above. The cross-guard is called tomot in the Hadendawa language for "two boys going together" re the two langets perpendicular to the horizontal. The Arabic word is bersham. 1. Sammaniya The Sammaniya form, with its flared lozenge ends, is perhaps the signature style of the Sudanese Kaskara. The cross-guard has two side facets on front and back, with a flat top and bottom, for a total of six forged surfaces. The guard is forged one half at a time. The front and back langets, extending above and below the quillon body halves (four pieces) are then forge-welded into a complete unit. This is the common construction technique of the three named forms. See Figure 1 below. The origin of the name is unknown. It is known that the Sammaniya Sufi order was introduced into Sudan soon after 1775. The Mahdi inherited the leadership of this order, but then condemned Sufi practices as against the values of the Mahdiya movement. After 1899, under British administration, sufism, always just under the surface, re-emerged to its former popular level. We see Sammaniyas in three versions, as noted above. I suggest that the small flare is the parent design. Its origin is unknown. Its genesis is mainly debated to be either the Funj Kingdom in the 1500–1821 period, to the West in the Hausa and Bornu areas, the Mamluk designs up the Nile or via NE Sudan Arab immigrations from Arabia and Red Sea trade routes. Sir Samuel Baker (1861), while in Eastern Sudan, recorded that the Arab tribesmen in that area used similar double-edged straight swords with a plain bar cross-guard. He did not note any details of the guard. Sheiks and other high status individuals carried swords with silver mounted hilts as symbols of their authority. Less extreme/normal flares, represent the ancestor of the form. A typical example shown in Figure 1, reportedly made in 1916 in Kassala, has the six forged surfaces and a modest flare to the diamond lozenge. This is quality work. Note the symmetrical facets, flat top, vertically aligned lozenges, and forge-welded langet. A Kassala swordsmith said in 1984 that this type of guard can no longer be made by contemporary smiths. Sometimes a decorative “X” is cut in the center of the cross-guard. Most are found on Sammaniya styles, in both the greater- and less-flared examples. It is a stylistic enhancement with no other apparent meaning. My informant in 1984 said that some people preferred it. In my collection, the example shown in Figure 1 does not have an “X,” and another one that does is not a good example. An illustrative example is shown in Figure 2 from Sothebys’ auction site. The extreme flares may be the highest form of Kaskara art. These are most often seen on presentation swords, like several from Ali Dinar's arsenal in Darfur in the 1902–1915 period. The forged iron example from Sothebys' site was dated 1902–1903 (Figure 2). In the enlargement notice the “X,” the filed lines at the ends of the lozenges, and the faceted lower langet. The enhanced langet detail is not seen in normally flared examples. Also, note the inscriptions on the ends of the lozenges. Some extreme flares are seen on gilded, forged iron examples, for example British Museum kaskara Aft. 1932.1014. An example from Christies has a gilded guard (Figure 3). Another example of unknown origin has a rough cast copper alloy quillon with flared tips [Figure 4 (by Stephen Wood)]. I have seen no historical reference to Sudanese copper alloy casting practices. El Tounsy (1851) did observe that, along with blacksmiths and weavers, founders were among the trades present in Darfur and Wadai. The necessary materials were available in Darfur: zinc and old copper were imported from Egypt and were highly valued. -----------Figures 1,2,3,4---------- . Attached Images Last edited by Ian; 20th August 2018 at 11:18 PM.