Some period photos of African 'knights'

[Iain]

I am reviving this thread to add a most unusual image. A Andinna (a woman who enters spirtual trances among the Kunama people) sitting with a kaskara.

The image was found here, were you can read more about the Andinna.

[Iain]

A few more interesting images. A 1883 photo of a Mahdist warrior.

Two images from inside the museum at Zinder, one showing the rarely seen short throwing darts and the second a Portuguese helmet.

Finally an image from the 1950s from the court in Katsina, the bodyguard of the emir (in the traditional red and green of Hausa court guards) has the tip of his scabbard showing with the usual long chap often seen on higher end Hausa swords.

[Dom]

Originally Posted by Iain

a Portuguese helmet.

Hi Iain
may be more "Spanish comb morion" but doesn't matter
it was an helmet used during the 16th and early 17th centuries,
the morion, though generally identified with Spanish conquistadors,
was common among foot soldiers of European nationalities (several)
but more intriguing ... how this helmet reached the deep South Sahara
I suppose according with ; the native's dress, and environment, could be North Niger ...
spoils of war ? (razzia)(غزو)
item of trade ?
Thanks a lot for sharing with us these amazing postcards

à +

Dom

[Iain]

Hi Dom, I had it noted as Portuguese in my image files, probably was a caption on the image when I originally found it.

Actually Portuguese makes the most sense as they had established trade centers and commercial activity on the West African coast around the time these helmets were popular. Not such a long way then into Niger.

[Dom]

Originally Posted by Iain

Actually Portuguese makes the most sense as they had established trade centers and commercial activity on the West African coast around the time these helmets were popular. Not such a long way then into Niger.

Yes Ian
caravan tracks are really a spider net, all azimuths, in Sahara ...
and not only in our days
between; salt, slaves, and sometimes more conventional as "pure trade"
the caravans was (are) crossed the Sahara, in all senses
and they was probably in trading with the Portugueses, that's makes a sense, for sure
all the best

à +

Dom