Croco Kaskara

Jim McDougall · 15th October 2010, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

I am not a vegetarian, but for some reasons these croc scabbards are revolting.

Kinda like alligator boots (seen often in these parts), and of course many types of leatherwork, our shoes are leather etc. I see your point though, and they do look pretty revolting/scary....as noted, that was the purpose. Many weapons were intended to present a bit of psychological edge, as well have seen in so many cases.
I've really never seen one quite this dramatic, and this one I'm pretty sure the wives wouldn't want around the house. From an ethnographic standpoint, an outstanding example. It seems that crocodiles were once mummified in Egypt/Sudan in ancient times as they were key in many of the deities I believe, cannot recall details offhand.

ericlaude · 15th October 2010, 06:26 PM

I agree Jim,In position of edged weapons collector , it is necessary to see the ethnographic side of our objects, because if we go farther to sensitivity, remind of us that the weapon which we collect served has break through, cut up and sometimes cut our congeneric up.Tradition of the ancient time did not take into account modern ecological ideas.

Jim McDougall · 16th October 2010, 05:28 AM

Thanks very much Eric. It is always good to keep an objective view in the study of weapons, as they reflect important perspective in learning and understanding more on those who used them.

Which leads me to a question I have tried to find out more about many times through the years, and may have some relation to these crocodile themed weapons. There seem to have been 'crocodile cults' which are mentioned in Briggs, regarding anthropological work done by Colin Turnbull, but nothing firther to explain where or what these were. There is mention of 'blades' so presumably swords were involved.
There were I believe secret societies in some of the tribes toward the west in the Congo and perhaps other regions which may have had to do with the crocodile totem, I know there were leopard themed groups.
In these groups there were elements of dress with leopard skins, some had armor made of pangolin shell (Benin I believe) .

Possibly some out there with deeper knowledge of African ethnography might have some information on these 'crocodile cults'?

All best regards,
Jim

15th October 2010, 06:26 PM	#2
ericlaude Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 187	I agree Jim,In position of edged weapons collector , it is necessary to see the ethnographic side of our objects, because if we go farther to sensitivity, remind of us that the weapon which we collect served has break through, cut up and sometimes cut our congeneric up.Tradition of the ancient time did not take into account modern ecological ideas.

16th October 2010, 05:28 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,194	Thanks very much Eric. It is always good to keep an objective view in the study of weapons, as they reflect important perspective in learning and understanding more on those who used them. Which leads me to a question I have tried to find out more about many times through the years, and may have some relation to these crocodile themed weapons. There seem to have been 'crocodile cults' which are mentioned in Briggs, regarding anthropological work done by Colin Turnbull, but nothing firther to explain where or what these were. There is mention of 'blades' so presumably swords were involved. There were I believe secret societies in some of the tribes toward the west in the Congo and perhaps other regions which may have had to do with the crocodile totem, I know there were leopard themed groups. In these groups there were elements of dress with leopard skins, some had armor made of pangolin shell (Benin I believe) . Possibly some out there with deeper knowledge of African ethnography might have some information on these 'crocodile cults'? All best regards, Jim