Kaskara Collecting

Edster · 3rd July 2019, 08:43 PM

Don't forget the first publication on the subject. It is the seminal piece and includes several examples of kaskara even though he calls them of Hausa origin.

Briggs, Lloyd Cabot. "European Blades in Tuareg Swords and Daggers." The Journal of the Arms & Armour Society (June 1965), pp. 53–54.

I don't know where to get a copy other than via inter-library loan or perhaps via on-line sale. Maybe JAAS has a reprint.

Also, on Kaskara Terminology by Iain Norman:
http://iainnorman.com/essays/2014/03...a-terminology/

I've no doubt missed some important sources, but you get the idea of the scope of valuable references.

Ed

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 4th July 2019, 01:14 PM

On the subject of this weapon and focused upon the Mahdist Revolt there is probably no finer specialist on Forum than Jim McDougall who has the uncanny common sense to not only explain the situation but precisely how the weapon was used...where they were made.... and how the blade inscriptions actually evolved.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Jim McDougall · 4th July 2019, 04:57 PM

Thank you very much for those kind words Ibrahiim!!
Like Shamsy, I 'caught the bug' on kaskara which continued to escalate, and that was back in the early 80s!!!

As Ed has pointed out, there were no books or references published with focus on the kaskara, and the only real reference was Briggs (1965).
The Reed article (1987)came out (to my delight) a number of years after my initiation into the kaskara mysteries.

Ed's brilliant work on the work of Sudanese bladesmiths was done even before Reed, and while focused on economic factors in this industry, included many salient details on the character of the elements of these swords. His continued research and works published here by Lee have been extremely informative.

Most of my personal attention in the study of the kaskara has been with kaskaras has been investigation of blades and markings found on them as well as decoration, with thuluth in particular. In that case I was contacted by a professor of anthropology who was studying native metalwork and had seen some writing I had done on the topic. The resulting study that we completed remains unpublished.

As with many ethnographic edged weapon forms, some such as the takouba and kaskara are inexorably connected. With these as Ed has pointed out, the imported trade blades and influences are sometimes shared.

While I do not have any published material on the kaskara, I have been fascinated by them for nearly 40 years, and have been grateful for many discussions on these pages. I have learned so much from many extremely knowledgeable members here in addition to Iain and Ed in those, and had the opportunity to share my own research findings.

Thus Shamsy…..USE that search function here, incessantly!!! and you will find the things you need to know.
Still, the Briggs article, now pretty tattered

I still use constantly as it is so loaded with data, pertinent details continue arising depending on what angle I am approaching. Briggs was a brilliant official who was based in Algeria for years, and his ethnographic research and connections with arms and armor figures in England and others brought powerful perspective to these North African swords.
With his seminal work, and thanks to specialized researchers such as Lee, Iain and Ed, along with other participants in discussions here, we have come along remarkably!

3rd July 2019, 08:43 PM	#1
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 440	Don't forget the first publication on the subject. It is the seminal piece and includes several examples of kaskara even though he calls them of Hausa origin. Briggs, Lloyd Cabot. "European Blades in Tuareg Swords and Daggers." The Journal of the Arms & Armour Society (June 1965), pp. 53–54. I don't know where to get a copy other than via inter-library loan or perhaps via on-line sale. Maybe JAAS has a reprint. Also, on Kaskara Terminology by Iain Norman: http://iainnorman.com/essays/2014/03...a-terminology/ I've no doubt missed some important sources, but you get the idea of the scope of valuable references. Ed

4th July 2019, 01:14 PM	#2
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	On the subject of this weapon and focused upon the Mahdist Revolt there is probably no finer specialist on Forum than Jim McDougall who has the uncanny common sense to not only explain the situation but precisely how the weapon was used...where they were made.... and how the blade inscriptions actually evolved. Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

4th July 2019, 04:57 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,590	Thank you very much for those kind words Ibrahiim!! Like Shamsy, I 'caught the bug' on kaskara which continued to escalate, and that was back in the early 80s!!! As Ed has pointed out, there were no books or references published with focus on the kaskara, and the only real reference was Briggs (1965). The Reed article (1987)came out (to my delight) a number of years after my initiation into the kaskara mysteries. Ed's brilliant work on the work of Sudanese bladesmiths was done even before Reed, and while focused on economic factors in this industry, included many salient details on the character of the elements of these swords. His continued research and works published here by Lee have been extremely informative. Most of my personal attention in the study of the kaskara has been with kaskaras has been investigation of blades and markings found on them as well as decoration, with thuluth in particular. In that case I was contacted by a professor of anthropology who was studying native metalwork and had seen some writing I had done on the topic. The resulting study that we completed remains unpublished. As with many ethnographic edged weapon forms, some such as the takouba and kaskara are inexorably connected. With these as Ed has pointed out, the imported trade blades and influences are sometimes shared. While I do not have any published material on the kaskara, I have been fascinated by them for nearly 40 years, and have been grateful for many discussions on these pages. I have learned so much from many extremely knowledgeable members here in addition to Iain and Ed in those, and had the opportunity to share my own research findings. Thus Shamsy…..USE that search function here, incessantly!!! and you will find the things you need to know. Still, the Briggs article, now pretty tattered I still use constantly as it is so loaded with data, pertinent details continue arising depending on what angle I am approaching. Briggs was a brilliant official who was based in Algeria for years, and his ethnographic research and connections with arms and armor figures in England and others brought powerful perspective to these North African swords. With his seminal work, and thanks to specialized researchers such as Lee, Iain and Ed, along with other participants in discussions here, we have come along remarkably!