Sudanese ceremonial type kaskara

[David R]

One of my first swords was one of these, covered in Thuluth, cast brass guard and a bare wood replacement grip. It had a good springy blade, possibly trade. multiple fullers and a distal taper, also half moon stamps.
Sold it years ago, like so many others that I bought over the years.

[Jim McDougall]

I did quite a bit of research on these a few years back working with an anthropology professor writing a paper on African religions and metalwork. It used to be held that this 'thuluth' script on these blades was unintelligible etc.
As it turns out, these inscriptions were actual phrases and passages from the Quran used in repetitive manner as a kind of Arabesque motif, but often interlaced with Mahdist invocations.

These were apparently commissioned by the Caliph after the death of the Mahdi in 1885, and key to establish legitimacy and fervor to the continuation of the jihad. There was a great deal of attention to the 'Sword of the Mahdi', and in effect, swords emblazoned with the 'magic' of the Mahdi became in effect 'his' sword. Large numbers of kaskara as well as other weapons were etched with this script to be given to chieftains and holy men, and the field at Omdurman was well strewn with these weapons.

The Mahdiya did not end instantly with Omdurman, and in fact followers persisted for some time. There were remarkable numbers of these recovered at Omdurman and the years just after.

I do not believe these were 'artificially' created souvenirs, but either items actually recovered in the campaign period or slightly after. There were souvenir items created as suggested, but mostly spear heads and the like.

This is one I've had for over 40 years and from a reliable source. The brass guard is apparently a characteristic of the Omdurman produced examples of these.

[Edster]

Thanks, Jim for adding your expertise. Based on your comments I suggest that available examples here and on other Forum posts indicates there are two kinds of Mahdiya era thuluth swords with different characteristics.

1. The legit weapons like yours with forged and fullered blades, well formed cast bronze cross-guards and leather wrapped grips. Likely carried by the Khalifa's commanders of lesser military units. Most high ranking emirs had full fledged kaskaras with silver dress, but without thuluth.

2. Derivative examples like Jack's with shorter sheet metal blades, no fullers, derivative cast bronze cross-guards and croc covered grips and often scabbards. These likely were made in Omdurman as well, but in volume and distributed during the Mahdiya and continued after the 1899 Re-Conquest as souvenirs.

Regards,
Ed

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Edster

Thanks, Jim for adding your expertise. Based on your comments I suggest that available examples here and on other Forum posts indicates there are two kinds of Mahdiya era thuluth swords with different characteristics.

1. The legit weapons like yours with forged and fullered blades, well formed cast bronze cross-guards and leather wrapped grips. Likely carried by the Khalifa's commanders of lesser military units. Most high ranking emirs had full fledged kaskaras with silver dress, but without thuluth.

2. Derivative examples like Jack's with shorter sheet metal blades, no fullers, derivative cast bronze cross-guards and croc covered grips and often scabbards. These likely were made in Omdurman as well, but in volume and distributed during the Mahdiya and continued after the 1899 Re-Conquest as souvenirs.

Regards,
Ed

Thanks Ed,
I think thats right. Some of the indications in some resources mention that the Omdurman arsenal was loaded with tons of tools and metal from Khartoum. Gordon was there to build infrastructure, railroads and the river boats etc. I have even seen kaskara with the sheet metal stock stamping (I think one is pictured in Briggs).
There was truly an obsession with souvenirs alright. If the numbers of weapons seen over the years as trophies were counted, Kitchener wouldnt have had a chance if THAT number of warriors were there!

Best,
Jim

[Jack Fletcher]

Thankyou all for your replies they are most helpful.


Jim and Ed its interesting you mentioned the 2 different types of these sorts of kaskaras as it brings me nicely onto my other one that falls more into a functional fighting sword rather than just a symbolic item.

This one has a 33inch blade that appears to be well constructed but has engraved rather than stamped ornate crescent moons. Not sure how practical the handle would have been though with all the ridges from the croc skin.

I've attached photos for your viewing.

[Edster]

Jack,

Your last sword has a righteous imported 19th C. blade with nicely done fullers and half moon etchings. To me the croc skins were incorporated to appeal to Victorian travelers post-reconguest. The grip is too rough for a legitimate hand hold and the scabbard appears not to have attachments for a baldric to carry it over the shoulder. While there are mentions of "crocodile cults", I haven't run across any reports in Sudanese Notes & Records that has lots of ethnographic papers dating from 1918 to 1974; and I've browsed most of the them. Also, over use of croc imagery doesn't seem "Islamic". The above is based on belief rather than facts so take it as you will.

Regards,
Ed

[Jack Fletcher]

Hi Ed

Really appreciate the answer on the other kaskara and I would definitely agree with you that the grip definitely isn't practical and neither is the scabbard. I would definitely be with the train of thought that the original handle has either been removed or come off and has been replaced with croc skin and fitted with a macabre croc scabbard.

But as victorian tourist must have done there is something about it I love and had to have one like this