Hi David,
Actually your comments prompted me to recover old territory in my understanding of these events and the history of the Sudan. I have studied this history off and on for more years than I care to admit, yet didnt really see the pieces fit until the research I did this morning. It is always completely fascinating to me that the answers in studying ethnographic weapons are so completely buried in so many other fields of study. There is so much complexity in understanding the how and why after the simple recognition of what a weapon appears to be.
Your mention of trade is of course one of the prevalent denominators in understanding more on these weapons, and like you I have long been puzzled by the curious haladie. It seems to have other parallels as well in parrying weapons in Africa and in an earlier version in context of Moorish Spain.
Its always hard to figure out whether these weapon types are convergently developed or determining which direction the influence actually went. The provenances presented or assumed are simply not reliable enough in many cases.
I had not previously known of the Indian units in the Sudan either, but am not the least bit surprised. The Native regiments from the British Raj were outstanding units well known for thier powerful fighting spirit and were widely employed as auxiliary units in many theaters of warfare. I recall numbers of references of units including the famed "Bengal Lancers" and others in the Boxer Rebellion events and WWI among other conflicts. As was mentioned in the reference I had, the presence of these troops was key in the successful stand taken at Suakin.
It really is some fascinating history, and adds great dimension to appreciating many of the kaskaras and other Sudanese items we get to see here every so often!
All the best,
Jim
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