KASKARA, 19TH C ?

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Cerjak

Jim and Ian
Many thanks forthis so well documented comments.
There is nothing more to discover ,everything had been say about this sword !
It is great !
Best


Jean-Luc

I would actually say there is quite a lot! While at face value this may seem a typical sword with a mark we have seen before, every example can hold clues to unravel a few of the mysteries that still block our understanding of kaskara and in particular this mark. For me it perhaps resembles a key of the style used by the Tuareg and I would guess other North African groups.

By the way did you have a chance to look at the area of the blade under the guard? I am really curious if there's a stamp or other mark there. Often there is!

[Jim McDougall]

Iain is right, with these weapons the stories never stop unfolding. I have swords I've had for nearly 40 years or more and still learning on them!
Enjoy Jean Luc!!!

[Cerjak]

Originally Posted by Iain

I would actually say there is quite a lot! While at face value this may seem a typical sword with a mark we have seen before, every example can hold clues to unravel a few of the mysteries that still block our understanding of kaskara and in particular this mark. For me it perhaps resembles a key of the style used by the Tuareg and I would guess other North African groups.

By the way did you have a chance to look at the area of the blade under the guard? I am really curious if there's a stamp or other mark there. Often there is!

Hi IAN
Unfortunately I don't see any mark under the guard ,may be under the rust ?
Also this mark, first of all I thought it was a city gate looking in the old post I found a similar drawing.

best
Cerjak

[Oliver Pinchot]

I believe the mark to be an abstract representation of an Ottoman tugra. It is oriented laterally.

Originally Posted by Cerjak

Hi IAN
Unfortunately I don't see any mark under the guard ,may be under the rust ?
Also this mark, first of all I thought it was a city gate looking in the old post I found a similar drawing.

best
Cerjak

[DaveS]

Originally Posted by Oliver Pinchot

I believe the mark to be an abstract representation of an Ottoman tugra. It is oriented laterally.

Oliver: I have the same kind of blade without a handle or long fuller but with the exact same mark. I seem to recall years ago seeing that mark in a reference book, and it was described as being British. Can't remember which book. I'll try to dig it up if i can............Dave.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

See the tughra below note the 3 parallel lines .

[Edster]

I must have missed this thread. Anyway, here is another sword with the fabled "enigmatic" mark. Its hard to see in the photo taken in 1984 but is just under the langet. Trust me.

The sword is undated, but gifted to Judge al Shengeti c.1956 at Sudan's independence and in his collection Collection in the Univ. of Khartoum.

Best,
Ed

[Ian]

Ed,

Thanks for bringing this thread up again. I think it is one of the better examples on this Forum of how broad our members' collective knowledge of ethnographic arms can be. Wonderful information from Jim, Iain, and Ibrahiim.

A mini-classic!

Ian.

[William Fox]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

See the tughra below note the 3 parallel lines .

I have heard it said that the sultanic tughra has certain key elements that were included for all Ottoman Sultans and had a significance.

The three lines stand for the three horse tail standard used by the early Turkish chieftains.
The movement of the wavy lines from East to West, symbolises the Turkish people's migration westwards.
The small and large circular shapes symbolise the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, with the sword of Islam overlaid on top of both symbolising the Sultans domination of these seas.