Kaskara with interesting marks

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 26th May 2016, 09:04 PM

In many ways the key to understanding on these weapons and other Sahel variants is on http://iainnorman.com/

CharlesS · 26th May 2016, 09:42 PM

We have discussed a similar topic of "nonsense script" on a sboula sword here:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=sboula

Jim McDougall · 27th May 2016, 01:30 AM

Excellent link Charles, and the topic was the s'boula dagger of Morocco which had a limited presence in Amharic context in Ethiopia as well as designated a 'Zanzibar' sword (Burton, 1885).

The 'nonsense' script described is actually a native effort at copying what appears to be the curious European inscriptions on many blades, particularly Spanish and Italian. These were often Roman letters confluenced with magical sigils or talismanic glyphs, and in sequenced linear repetition (Caino and Picinino in Italy). These were strangely sequenced, but rearranged in alternating groupings, so unlikely to be acrostics as many other blades.
The NONON and 'I's as well as other medieval groupings (many discussed in Oakeshott) are most typically invocations, and the magical sigils heightened the power imbued in them.

When these European blades entered the native contexts, they were intrigued by these markings which were of course focused on by traders extolling the virtues and power of them. Naturally native artisans would try to capture these qualities by imitating these inscriptions.

26th May 2016, 09:04 PM	#1
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	In many ways the key to understanding on these weapons and other Sahel variants is on http://iainnorman.com/

26th May 2016, 09:42 PM	#2
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	We have discussed a similar topic of "nonsense script" on a sboula sword here: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=sboula

27th May 2016, 01:30 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Excellent link Charles, and the topic was the s'boula dagger of Morocco which had a limited presence in Amharic context in Ethiopia as well as designated a 'Zanzibar' sword (Burton, 1885). The 'nonsense' script described is actually a native effort at copying what appears to be the curious European inscriptions on many blades, particularly Spanish and Italian. These were often Roman letters confluenced with magical sigils or talismanic glyphs, and in sequenced linear repetition (Caino and Picinino in Italy). These were strangely sequenced, but rearranged in alternating groupings, so unlikely to be acrostics as many other blades. The NONON and 'I's as well as other medieval groupings (many discussed in Oakeshott) are most typically invocations, and the magical sigils heightened the power imbued in them. When these European blades entered the native contexts, they were intrigued by these markings which were of course focused on by traders extolling the virtues and power of them. Naturally native artisans would try to capture these qualities by imitating these inscriptions.