Can anyone help me translate this?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by TomHurstAntiques

I recently bought a Bedja sword that was bought back from the battle field.
Can anyone help me translate the mark?
Many thanks.

Salaams TomHurstAntiques, There is nothing to translate except the fact that this weapon has Dukari moons on it. These moon strike marks can be traced to European makers marks...although broadly speaking as they didnt actually totally belong to a specific maker... thus any sword factory was capable of turning them out... Toledo and Solingen did it and so... the mark was copied across Africa.

There is some conjecture deciding if the mark is European and then the sword being sold as a trade blade onto African markets or if in fact the strike was done locally. I suspect the latter.

see http://www.vikingsword.com/ethsword/kaskara/index.html

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.