Islamic axe head - Arabic translation request
 

Hi

I have finished cleaning this Sudanese (Mahdist period) axe head.

Would someone be able to translate the Arabic inscriptions for me ?

Many thanks & regards.

Colin

That looks nice, any dimensions? What looks like a continuous squiggle is in fact
"The conqueror, salvation unto him" some renditions of this are far more clear to recognise. I cannot read it but have learnt the shape form. I have no idea about the rest. This is the squiggle in a more formal form. It is far from standard/pure Arabic. More and more these days I do wonder that much stuff apart from the ubiquitous kaskara may well be more related to earlier Jihad into west Africa?

My arabic is very limited but I think this one is purely decorative script.

Thanks to Tim & Michael for your input. Length of the axe head is 39cm.

Anyone else who knows Arabic and can help ?

Regards
Colin

Hi Colin
even if you know Arabic, it's sometimes difficult to translate :p
here what ever we read ... not too much :shrug:
but better than nothing :D

à +

Dom

Many thanks Dom, much appreciated.

Regards
Colin

Dom.
I wonder if you would be so kind as to look at the script on this axe. I realise it may be far from standard and I do not know if I show it with the correct orientation. Sorry for adding to this thread so late, I hope it comes to your attention.

Hi Tim
no bad will from us ... :p
no news, because for time being we didn't found how to translate :o

à +

Dom

Dom, thank you for your reply. I now know you have seen it and are working on a possible translation. I think it is not easy but I really do hope you can find something.

To illustrate the difficulty and put a cultural context into this thread I post some text, first more about my earlier reply from "Nigerian Panoply arms and armour of the Northern Region- A.D.H. Bivar- published by Dept of Antiqities Federal Republic of Nigeria 1964" {where other interpretations are admissible, I imagine is the same sentiment} showing script as a cypher. Secondly text from "A Thousand Years Of West African History, a handbook for teachers and students, Ibadan University Press" this helps show how Arabic forms may have been altered to the point that may now not be understood.

I am going to suggest that many pieces viewed as "Sudan" is in the Mahdist Jihad may well not be. They could be from earlier Jihads- Usuman dan Fodio, Seku Ahmadu, and Al-Hajj 'Umar, all in what today is West Africa. A big question is, can artefacts/weapons from these Jihads be identified as different to Mahdist material? The earlier Jihads might pre-date the armoury at Omdurman and the supply of the European, notably German kaskara blades. Or is the kaskara an older weapon that has a west African origin?