How to id a European kaskara blade?

Jim McDougall · 31st December 2011, 04:37 AM

These are most interesting, especially as they are of the same type blade with profile, fuller and length, yet the contrast in condition is dramatic.
The first in an almost deeply pitted condition with the second in the more familiar refurbished condition and reptilian grip , both swords having this curious marking. The marking visible on the refurbished kaskara seems almost drawn on, I cant make out the mark on the badly corroded one.

These type blades seem to be 'Kasallawi' of modern make, with steel used often from recycled steel such as springs etc. The curious mark which in previous discussions is often suggested to represent a native interpretation of a 'flaming grenade' or the fly markings of the Kull family of makers c.1847-60....however later was suggested to be possibly a comet. Also, these marks are found on Tuareg swords far to the west and not typically on kaskara until relatively modern times. One kaskara carrying this mark was recorded around 1961 in Egypt in a presentation.

The mark seems to be more modern than the copies of European marks and it would seem earliest descriptions of it occur with various Tuareg chiefs during the 1916-17 Kaocen Revolt when several of these were captured during battle (Briggs, 1965, Plate XX; swords of Raidera, Adembar and Rabadine). It seems to have been recognized as early as c.1878 (lineage of the Adembar sword).

The considerably poor condition of the one sword of the pair seems to be in paradox with the apparant reasonably modern period which is indicated by the character of these blades and the mark. Possibly one was left in a relatively unprotected out building while the other was refurbished?

31st December 2011, 04:37 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	These are most interesting, especially as they are of the same type blade with profile, fuller and length, yet the contrast in condition is dramatic. The first in an almost deeply pitted condition with the second in the more familiar refurbished condition and reptilian grip , both swords having this curious marking. The marking visible on the refurbished kaskara seems almost drawn on, I cant make out the mark on the badly corroded one. These type blades seem to be 'Kasallawi' of modern make, with steel used often from recycled steel such as springs etc. The curious mark which in previous discussions is often suggested to represent a native interpretation of a 'flaming grenade' or the fly markings of the Kull family of makers c.1847-60....however later was suggested to be possibly a comet. Also, these marks are found on Tuareg swords far to the west and not typically on kaskara until relatively modern times. One kaskara carrying this mark was recorded around 1961 in Egypt in a presentation. The mark seems to be more modern than the copies of European marks and it would seem earliest descriptions of it occur with various Tuareg chiefs during the 1916-17 Kaocen Revolt when several of these were captured during battle (Briggs, 1965, Plate XX; swords of Raidera, Adembar and Rabadine). It seems to have been recognized as early as c.1878 (lineage of the Adembar sword). The considerably poor condition of the one sword of the pair seems to be in paradox with the apparant reasonably modern period which is indicated by the character of these blades and the mark. Possibly one was left in a relatively unprotected out building while the other was refurbished?