Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Iain · 3rd December 2011, 02:41 PM

Thank you all for the kind comments.

Jim,

Interesting your acquaintance from Darfur was also using Arabic term 'saif'. While I have found differing, not Arabic terms in the regions languages, personally I think the influence of Arabic, particularly on the upper classes, cannot be overstated. For one thing, those who were literate would likely have achieved this via religious studies and would have had to learn or at least memorize large amounts of the Koran (In Arabic of course).

There were in fact relatively few European explorers who passed through these regions - Denham and Clapperton, Barth, Nachtigal... I am sure Burton was familiar with all of their writings. The real question for me, is how he arrived at labeling that particular sword type as a kaskara, as far as I can tell from reading all the accounts of Denham etc. none of them specifically associated the Sudanese saif with the term kaskara. Although I finally found the reference in Barth for tying the term to Bagirmi - it is as I expected a simple case of Kanuri influence in the region as he notes many Kanuri terms for arms and armour are find in the region and also used by the various pagan peoples.

This is why I lean heavily towards some British officer or soldier in the field having picked it up from a tribesman who joined the Mahdist forces and journeyed north to fight.

Michael,

I don't know much about Ethiopia, but I think most areas of ethnographic arms study can face this issue. Often I think modern peoples in these areas are perhaps not familiar with some of the terminology due to a lack of modern usage of the words?

Another issue can be that Ethiopia has a great many people and linguistic groups?

I find this area of study both fascinating and frustrating.

Ibrahiim,

Interesting that the term kattara seems newer. Is it an Arabic word in origin?

Jeff,

Thanks! I'd hoped it would be interesting to folks like you who've spent a lot more time delving into kaskara than I have.

3rd December 2011, 02:41 PM	#6
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,680	Thank you all for the kind comments. Jim, Interesting your acquaintance from Darfur was also using Arabic term 'saif'. While I have found differing, not Arabic terms in the regions languages, personally I think the influence of Arabic, particularly on the upper classes, cannot be overstated. For one thing, those who were literate would likely have achieved this via religious studies and would have had to learn or at least memorize large amounts of the Koran (In Arabic of course). There were in fact relatively few European explorers who passed through these regions - Denham and Clapperton, Barth, Nachtigal... I am sure Burton was familiar with all of their writings. The real question for me, is how he arrived at labeling that particular sword type as a kaskara, as far as I can tell from reading all the accounts of Denham etc. none of them specifically associated the Sudanese saif with the term kaskara. Although I finally found the reference in Barth for tying the term to Bagirmi - it is as I expected a simple case of Kanuri influence in the region as he notes many Kanuri terms for arms and armour are find in the region and also used by the various pagan peoples. This is why I lean heavily towards some British officer or soldier in the field having picked it up from a tribesman who joined the Mahdist forces and journeyed north to fight. Michael, I don't know much about Ethiopia, but I think most areas of ethnographic arms study can face this issue. Often I think modern peoples in these areas are perhaps not familiar with some of the terminology due to a lack of modern usage of the words? Another issue can be that Ethiopia has a great many people and linguistic groups? I find this area of study both fascinating and frustrating. Ibrahiim, Interesting that the term kattara seems newer. Is it an Arabic word in origin? Jeff, Thanks! I'd hoped it would be interesting to folks like you who've spent a lot more time delving into kaskara than I have.