Can anyone help me translate this?

[TomHurstAntiques]

I recently bought a Bedja sword that was bought back from the battle field.
Can anyone help me translate the mark?
Many thanks.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

I recently bought a Bedja sword that was bought back from the battle field.
Can anyone help me translate the mark?
Many thanks.

Salaams TomHurstAntiques, There is nothing to translate except the fact that this weapon has Dukari moons on it. These moon strike marks can be traced to European makers marks...although broadly speaking as they didnt actually totally belong to a specific maker... thus any sword factory was capable of turning them out... Toledo and Solingen did it and so... the mark was copied across Africa.

There is some conjecture deciding if the mark is European and then the sword being sold as a trade blade onto African markets or if in fact the strike was done locally. I suspect the latter.

see http://www.vikingsword.com/ethsword/kaskara/index.html

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[TomHurstAntiques]

Thank you so much for your help.
Its a really romantic notion but I think your probably right.

[Jim McDougall]

As Ibrahiim has well described, these crescent moons were characteristic pairings used primarily by Hausa smiths in many examples of their blades across Saharan and Sudanese regions. These triple fullered blades are referred to as 'masri' and were native produced in considerable volumes.
While most are of course tempted to presume the 'romantic' notion of these being brought back from the battlefields in the Sudan (a good number were), the truth is that 'producing' souveniers became a notable cottage industry bringing the volume of these 'bringbacks' to staggering proportions.

These were actually produced in volume well into the 20th century and remained traditional accoutrements sought as souveniers in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.

It must be remembered that ethnographic arms such as these remain distinct examples of the profound tradition behind them. In the Sudan the native people recall Omdurman and the Mahdist period clearly and hold these weapons in the same esteem as then.

[TomHurstAntiques]

Thank you.

[digenis]

There were plenty recently made swords of that type when I visited the lake Nasser region near the Egyptian-Sudanese border a few years ago.

I am not expressing an opinion on yours.