Kaskara for Comment.

[Edster]

Hi Iain,

I'm not familiar with the Soligen marks or takoubas except those posted on EAA. But in my opinion they are stylistically superior to the kaskara.

No doubt trans-saharra (sic) trade between Algeria and Chad and then to Western Sudan. Trans-Sahalian movement to the east as pilgrims travelled from west Africa across Sudan to Mecca for the haj. A lot of Hausa Hajjis settled in Sudan rather than go all the way back home. Also, the 40 Day Road from Kordofan to Eqypt was another trade link. Blades and design ideas no doubt flowed in all directions and were translated into the local "cultural currency". Don't forget the trade and warfare between Sudanic kingdoms and Abasinnia (sic, again). The Ethiopians had a higher culture and presumably better technology than the Sudanese.

Many of these travellers were of the same Sufi orders and the common membership was a strong basis of social relationships. Blacksmiths also were Sufis, even though they were marginalized by local leaderships. Travel and common social linkages would have been a major way for stylistic, talismic and technological transmission to take place. Testing of these notions on the ground is the really cool part of anthropology.

I wonder if there is a simple non-distructive test for blade carbon and other alloy content. Since most contemporary Kassala made kaskara blades are forged from Land-Rover and lorry leaf springs, it would be a good way of dating blades before and after the 1899 reconquest. I lot of "Mahdiya" swords were wrought iron and any locally carbonized blades would likely be highly variable in carbon content.

Wouldn't be neat to identify someone in Kassala blacksmith market with an email address or cell phone so we could just call them up and get a consultation directly from the local experts.

Best,
Edster