Kaskara in Silver Dress: an essay for comment and discussion by Ed Hunley

Jim McDougall · 15th April 2019, 03:06 PM

Thank you so much for the kind words Ed, and I added these excerpts from my notes in hopes you could use them in your work, so I am honored they will be useful.
That is exciting to know the smith's name, and that this is a cows head. I sort of thought it might be that and recall even looking into the brands used by cattle herders in Kordofan (MacMillan I think was author c.1911).
Could the mark have been from earlier and taken up by Sammani, this sword seems a lot older than the mid 20th...…...as I mentioned it was supposed to be from time of Ali Dinar (but as he was killed in 1914 the 1918 end of making seems understandable).

I recall your notes on Kassala and that the figures from the time of Mahdi, Khalif and Omdurman were still prominent in 1980s and as you well say, the past never ceases. For me these weapons tell us it is still here and their stories remind us.

Edster · 15th April 2019, 03:57 PM

I've seen the cow's head on a blade submitted by at least one other forum member as well. That combined with yours and the one in Kassala suggests that the mark was used multiple times, and the punches were available to other smiths. Your cross-guard looks old and is a forge welded 4-piece unit. Certainly older than the "50s. Probably much older. Many Mahdi era blades had religious inscriptions scratched on them and is a pretty good indication of that period.

Bill M · 16th April 2019, 01:22 PM

Please comment on this? I should take some better images.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=Kaskara

Edster · 16th April 2019, 06:22 PM

Bill M,

That's a very nice Kaskara. The blade has a Kar/Khor type fuller and was likely forged in the Tigre (Muslim) region of what is now Eritrea. My informants in Kassala in 1984 attributed the Kar's likely origin to Ethiopia, although that type of fuller was done in Sudan as well. Actually, the larger Beja peoples roamed over the area between Kassala, Suwakin, Mussawa, Red Sea Hills for several hundred years. Lots of spill over in these low lands. Kassaka itself is just a few miles from the Ethiopian border.

Stephen Woods information from Post # 36, collected in Eritrea in 1905-06, above describes this blade/fuller "species" as:
"2. But if the Kar is carved with a broad line up to the
point, it is of little value; and it is the sword of the high-
waymen only."

The Arabic script engraving, lines along edges of the fuller and the silver grip cover would put it as above the "highwaymen only" quality. Translation of the text would enhance our understanding of its origin and possible date.

The etchings on the blade are interesting, but don't really tell me any tales.

The silver grip cover isn't like the two known styles: diamonds and stars & Comets/dotted cross and would likely originate outside Sudan. The cross-guard looks kaskara style, but I don't know how far into Eritrea/Ethiopia the style penetrated. Some may argue that the style even originated there as similar versions have appeared on ancient Ethiopian wall paintings.

Hopefully others will add their interpretations.

Regards,
Ed

Iain · 17th April 2019, 12:06 PM

The etching on the blade is consistent with a European trade blade, these were popular astral themes on European blades, the blade is very likely to be 18th century and I think the opposite of something for a highwayman. This is the problem with some of the native classifications, depending when they were compiled they may refer in some cases to locally made blades that were inferior but obviously don't cover very good imports like this one.

Bill M · 17th April 2019, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iain

The etching on the blade is consistent with a European trade blade, these were popular astral themes on European blades, the blade is very likely to be 18th century and I think the opposite of something for a highwayman. This is the problem with some of the native classifications, depending when they were compiled they may refer in some cases to locally made blades that were inferior but obviously don't cover very good imports like this one.

I appreciate your inputs, Iain and Edster. The blade, in hand, seems of good quality. Someone on another forum, thought it might have been a German import. There are some markings they thought relevant.

"Good quality" has to be relevant to the society as we know different techniques were made within the sociology/craftsmen of the makers.

A Tibetan sword "hairpin" pamor seems lesser quality to a Chinese sword, different than a Japanese sword, Moro kris, or Indonesian keris.

As noted with the date on the original post that it has been a time sense I have looked at it carefully. Please continue.

stephen wood · 17th April 2019, 05:02 PM

It's a very good one.

I think it's an imported blade with decoration done locally but not necessarily all at the same time. The Arabic script is very well done whereas some of the other motifs are scratched on, which I have come across before.

15th April 2019, 03:06 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Thank you so much for the kind words Ed, and I added these excerpts from my notes in hopes you could use them in your work, so I am honored they will be useful. That is exciting to know the smith's name, and that this is a cows head. I sort of thought it might be that and recall even looking into the brands used by cattle herders in Kordofan (MacMillan I think was author c.1911). Could the mark have been from earlier and taken up by Sammani, this sword seems a lot older than the mid 20th...…...as I mentioned it was supposed to be from time of Ali Dinar (but as he was killed in 1914 the 1918 end of making seems understandable). I recall your notes on Kassala and that the figures from the time of Mahdi, Khalif and Omdurman were still prominent in 1980s and as you well say, the past never ceases. For me these weapons tell us it is still here and their stories remind us.

15th April 2019, 03:57 PM	#2
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 415	I've seen the cow's head on a blade submitted by at least one other forum member as well. That combined with yours and the one in Kassala suggests that the mark was used multiple times, and the punches were available to other smiths. Your cross-guard looks old and is a forge welded 4-piece unit. Certainly older than the "50s. Probably much older. Many Mahdi era blades had religious inscriptions scratched on them and is a pretty good indication of that period.

16th April 2019, 01:22 PM	#3
Bill M Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Georgia Posts: 1,599	Please comment on this? I should take some better images. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=Kaskara

16th April 2019, 06:22 PM	#4
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 415	Bill M, That's a very nice Kaskara. The blade has a Kar/Khor type fuller and was likely forged in the Tigre (Muslim) region of what is now Eritrea. My informants in Kassala in 1984 attributed the Kar's likely origin to Ethiopia, although that type of fuller was done in Sudan as well. Actually, the larger Beja peoples roamed over the area between Kassala, Suwakin, Mussawa, Red Sea Hills for several hundred years. Lots of spill over in these low lands. Kassaka itself is just a few miles from the Ethiopian border. Stephen Woods information from Post # 36, collected in Eritrea in 1905-06, above describes this blade/fuller "species" as: "2. But if the Kar is carved with a broad line up to the point, it is of little value; and it is the sword of the high- waymen only." The Arabic script engraving, lines along edges of the fuller and the silver grip cover would put it as above the "highwaymen only" quality. Translation of the text would enhance our understanding of its origin and possible date. The etchings on the blade are interesting, but don't really tell me any tales. The silver grip cover isn't like the two known styles: diamonds and stars & Comets/dotted cross and would likely originate outside Sudan. The cross-guard looks kaskara style, but I don't know how far into Eritrea/Ethiopia the style penetrated. Some may argue that the style even originated there as similar versions have appeared on ancient Ethiopian wall paintings. Hopefully others will add their interpretations. Regards, Ed

17th April 2019, 12:06 PM	#5
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,717	The etching on the blade is consistent with a European trade blade, these were popular astral themes on European blades, the blade is very likely to be 18th century and I think the opposite of something for a highwayman. This is the problem with some of the native classifications, depending when they were compiled they may refer in some cases to locally made blades that were inferior but obviously don't cover very good imports like this one.

17th April 2019, 05:02 PM	#7
stephen wood Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 227	It's a very good one. I think it's an imported blade with decoration done locally but not necessarily all at the same time. The Arabic script is very well done whereas some of the other motifs are scratched on, which I have come across before.