This is excellent Peter, and a good opportunity to bring together a good discussion on these distinctive Saharan swords! While these of course have been discussed countless times on these pages over many years, these days there are many new members who of course will not recall or be aware of these. The articles you link are outstanding, and the history of these tribal peoples and these swords is fascinating.
As you well note, there are similarities in the cross (typically the Agadez cross if I recall) in the saddle and in many aspects of material culture including elements of the sword. The cross is not seen typically as any particular religious symbol, but having to do with the four cardinal directions.
There are many interpretations for symbolism associated with blades on these, with the twin opposed moons being most familiar, and these are termed 'dukari'.
I hope we will see examples posted here so we can discuss and learn from the peculiarities found on them.
I'm trying to find a PDF of "European Swords and Blades in Tuareg Swords and Daggers", Lloyd Cabot Briggs, JAAS, 1965, which has become not only a benchmark work for study of these swords, but European sword blades as well. Anybody out there got this?
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