|
|
|
9th December 2009, 02:37 PM
|
#1 |
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,429
|
Islamic axe head - Arabic translation request
Hi
I have finished cleaning this Sudanese (Mahdist period) axe head. Would someone be able to translate the Arabic inscriptions for me ? Many thanks & regards. Colin |
|
|
|
9th December 2009, 08:38 PM
|
#2 |
|
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,925
|
That looks nice, any dimensions? What looks like a continuous squiggle is in fact
"The conqueror, salvation unto him" some renditions of this are far more clear to recognise. I cannot read it but have learnt the shape form. I have no idea about the rest. This is the squiggle in a more formal form. It is far from standard/pure Arabic. More and more these days I do wonder that much stuff apart from the ubiquitous kaskara may well be more related to earlier Jihad into west Africa? Last edited by Tim Simmons; 9th December 2009 at 08:50 PM. |
|
|
|
|
11th December 2009, 09:05 PM
|
#3 |
|
Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: dc
Posts: 271
|
My arabic is very limited but I think this one is purely decorative script.
|
|
|
|
|
13th December 2009, 02:28 PM
|
#4 |
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,429
|
Thanks to Tim & Michael for your input. Length of the axe head is 39cm.
Anyone else who knows Arabic and can help ? Regards Colin |
|
|
|
|
13th December 2009, 03:24 PM
|
#5 | |
|
Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Paris (FR*) Cairo (EG)
Posts: 1,142
|
Quote:
even if you know Arabic, it's sometimes difficult to translate  here what ever we read ... not too much  but better than nothing  à + Dom |
|
|
|
|
|
13th December 2009, 03:38 PM
|
#6 |
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,429
|
Many thanks Dom, much appreciated.
Regards Colin |
|
|
|
|
15th December 2009, 07:54 PM
|
#7 |
|
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,925
|
Dom.
I wonder if you would be so kind as to look at the script on this axe. I realise it may be far from standard and I do not know if I show it with the correct orientation. Sorry for adding to this thread so late, I hope it comes to your attention. |
|
|
|
|
20th December 2009, 02:18 AM
|
#8 |
|
Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Paris (FR*) Cairo (EG)
Posts: 1,142
|
Hi Tim
no bad will from us ... no news, because for time being we didn't found how to translate  à + Dom |
|
|
|
|
20th December 2009, 06:30 PM
|
#9 |
|
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: What is still UK
Posts: 5,925
|
Dom, thank you for your reply. I now know you have seen it and are working on a possible translation. I think it is not easy but I really do hope you can find something.
To illustrate the difficulty and put a cultural context into this thread I post some text, first more about my earlier reply from "Nigerian Panoply arms and armour of the Northern Region- A.D.H. Bivar- published by Dept of Antiqities Federal Republic of Nigeria 1964" {where other interpretations are admissible, I imagine is the same sentiment} showing script as a cypher. Secondly text from "A Thousand Years Of West African History, a handbook for teachers and students, Ibadan University Press" this helps show how Arabic forms may have been altered to the point that may now not be understood. I am going to suggest that many pieces viewed as "Sudan" is in the Mahdist Jihad may well not be. They could be from earlier Jihads- Usuman dan Fodio, Seku Ahmadu, and Al-Hajj 'Umar, all in what today is West Africa. A big question is, can artefacts/weapons from these Jihads be identified as different to Mahdist material? The earlier Jihads might pre-date the armoury at Omdurman and the supply of the European, notably German kaskara blades. Or is the kaskara an older weapon that has a west African origin? Last edited by Tim Simmons; 20th December 2009 at 07:10 PM. |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Hybrid Mode
