Ahah! the spectre of doubt has been detected in the decree of Sudanese origin for this weapon, heavily etched in thuluth script as many Sudanese weapons, especially kaskara, are.
I have seen similar script on the 'Sword of Byajidda' of Nigeria, but as discussed in Bivar (op.cit.1964) this seems one of a number of weapons which are believed to originate in the Nilotic Sudan. It is noted that the elongated 'naskhi' script evolved into the 'thuluth' style of Mamluk calligraphy in of course Egypt. The Mamluk presence in Egypt until early 19th century movements into the Sudan may account for the presence of this type of script which became well known with the Mahdist Revolts 1883-1898, and perhaps even earlier as the movement developed in the 1870s.
Obviously the Mamluk heritage is well known in Syria, and Stone calls the 'haladie' the Syrian knife, and as Mamluks were of course present in Egypt under Ottoman rule, but it seems predominantly that their presence in the Sudan set the course for this broad stroke Islamic script.
Omdurman was of course the Mahdist capital of the Sudan.
|