Kaskara for comment

Mefidk · 27th April 2011, 03:14 PM

Iain & Ed - thanks so much for the information and insights, its really fantastic that you are willing to so readily share this information.

If I might push my luck a little further and ask what may be a couple of naive questions. Firstly I wondered about the weapon production in Kassala and the arms trade in the area in general. Kassala is very close to Eritraea and so I wondered how far east the use of the kaskara would be expected? Or was it simply that the manufacture of arms was a big export business in these areas and kaskaras went west and shotels were made there too and went east?

Secondly, this whole region appears to have had a very turbulant history, except for Ethiopia which as far as I understand it has had pretty stable boundaries. So I would I be right in thinking that Ethiopea has a more easily traceable weaponary than the rest of the region because of the amazing longevity of the Solomonic Dynasty (1270-1974)? For instance I believe I read somewere that the shotel can be traced back perhaps as far as 4th centuary BC. If so perhaps there are some more solid delineations as we move into Ethiopea? As a newly interested collector in north African arms it might be nice to feel that there was something solid in the shifting sands of human migrations in the region to use as a reference point

Chris

27th April 2011, 03:14 PM	#14
Mefidk Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Denmark Posts: 157	Iain & Ed - thanks so much for the information and insights, its really fantastic that you are willing to so readily share this information. If I might push my luck a little further and ask what may be a couple of naive questions. Firstly I wondered about the weapon production in Kassala and the arms trade in the area in general. Kassala is very close to Eritraea and so I wondered how far east the use of the kaskara would be expected? Or was it simply that the manufacture of arms was a big export business in these areas and kaskaras went west and shotels were made there too and went east? Secondly, this whole region appears to have had a very turbulant history, except for Ethiopia which as far as I understand it has had pretty stable boundaries. So I would I be right in thinking that Ethiopea has a more easily traceable weaponary than the rest of the region because of the amazing longevity of the Solomonic Dynasty (1270-1974)? For instance I believe I read somewere that the shotel can be traced back perhaps as far as 4th centuary BC. If so perhaps there are some more solid delineations as we move into Ethiopea? As a newly interested collector in north African arms it might be nice to feel that there was something solid in the shifting sands of human migrations in the region to use as a reference point Chris