Ethiopian alternative straight swords

[Kubur]

Hi Iain,

I have to resuscitate this old thread.
I asked recently some informations about a tabouka and a blade.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21988
Because I had something in mind.
I think your first sword is Ethiopian and the museum was right (this time).
I will post some documents tomorrow to prove it.
When I say Ethiopian I mean found in Ethiopia and used by Ethiopians,
The sword was probably captured from a battle between Sudanese and Ethiopians and refitted with a new pommel later by Ethiopians.

Best,
Kubur

[Kubur]

In fact your sword is not from the MET.
The kaskara from the MET is here.
Your drawing comes from an old French traveller book, the author drawns and collected objects from Ethiopia, objects used by Ethiopians.
Theophile Lefebvre, Voyage en Abyssinie, 1845.
Best,
Kubur

[Jim McDougall]

Kubur,
Thank you so much for that reference!
These swords have been a puzzle for some time and its great to have this additional support. Much appreciated.

Jim

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Kubur,
Thank you so much for that reference!
These swords have been a puzzle for some time and its great to have this additional support. Much appreciated.

Jim

Thank you Jim
Regard to the introduction of these swords to Ethiopia.
It's true that the Coptic Church headquarter based in Alexandria was sending missionaries since the Byzantine period. These relations became stronger around 1000 AD and they might introduced some Islamic swords to Ethiopia during this period. Later with the conquest of Dongola in Nubia, the Mamluks introduced or re-introduced these swords in sub-Saharan Africa...

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Thank you Jim
Regard to the introduction of these swords to Ethiopia.
It's true that the Coptic Church headquarter based in Alexandria was sending missionaries since the Byzantine period. These relations became stronger around 1000 AD and they might introduced some Islamic swords to Ethiopia during this period. Later with the conquest of Dongola in Nubia, the Mamluks introduced or re-introduced these swords in sub-Saharan Africa...

I think Mameluke contact is the far more likely source. The Mamelukes used Makuria as a buffer state and were trading in arms and armor with Bornu already.

Regarding the swords in this thread with the curious pommels, I've seen depictions of kaskara in Ethiopian art and iconography but don't recall such a pommel design specifically. Still the theory you outlined is certainly not impossible.