Sword for comment

[Jim McDougall]

Darren, this kaskara is a particularly nice find mostly for the blade with these significant markings and motif. These are well described in Reed, 1987, ("Kaskara from Northern Darfur, Sudan, JAAS, Vol XII, #3, March 1987) where plate LV shows several associated examples.
I would think this blade may be from the early 20th century, and while it seems well made enough to be European, probably is of native manufacture. The motif on this blade includes the crescent moons and devotional inscription panel associated with the Lohr, a wooden board used by religious scribes . The moons represent significant cosmological configurations often relating to key times or events, and the snake represents the python (assala) important symbolically in native folk religions of these regions.

Certain of these markings are clearly imitating the face on European astral markings often seen on trade blades. The crescent moon within circle is distinctly mentioned by Reed (example d) and termed locally 'the old moon in the new moons' arms' and associated with events or symbolism as mentioned.