Kaskaras from The Battle of Omdurman ?

colin henshaw · 17th April 2009, 01:41 PM

Hi

I am posting pictures of these four Sudanese Kaskaras for comment. They all came together and had loops of old copper wire round the hilts, for hanging up. All were quite rusty, and I have been cleaning them.

It occurred to me that they are all slightly different types, so maybe they were a representative sample, collected from the battlefield. (perhaps this is being too fanciful).

The sword at the top of the image has engraved - star, sunburst and man in the moon, on both sides of the blade (difficult to photograph). All the hilts are damaged/fragmentary to some extent, although this has the advantage of showing their construction.

Can anyone identify which blades would be imported and which are native-made ? Also, are there any references to the collection of trophies after the Battle of Omdurman in 1898 ?

Many thanks

Lee · 17th April 2009, 03:05 PM

All four appear to have 'trade blades' of European origin and this is indeed a very nice assortment of the sorts of blades which may be encountered.

The top one with the engraved decoration appears to have a blade of the same type as may be seen in the takouba in the logo graphic at the top of this page. The Briggs monograph also shows a kaskara with this style of blade (and dates it relatively early) and I have also seen one other kaskara having one of these blades with this engraving and a fuller starting with a squared off origin well beyond the forte.

Jim McDougall · 17th April 2009, 07:53 PM

Hi Colin,
I completely agree with Lee, whose expertise and writing on these simple but outstanding Sudanese broadswords is well established here. These are very nice and sound examples of these battle trophies from a profoundly important period in British colonial history.

These are as noted ,characteristically mounted with European trade blades, and the top one with the central fuller extending fully to the blade tip, is of earlier form. The example with the pommel cap missing, has the crossguard with the central 'X' and flared quilllons typical of the swords coming from the eastern Sudan in Darfur, and while in some degree present at Omdurman, were more unique as trophies from that battle. This is primarily because Darfur tribes were mostly resistant in joining with the Mahdist movement, perhaps due to thier prevalent associations with the Senussi factions to the west.

With regard to the collection of trophies from Omdurman in 1898, and during the ensuing occupation. A very good essay on this subject by Michael Stevenson in 2002, cites as follows:

"...the British admiration for an enemy intensified thier desire to collect war trophies".
Maj. Gen. Sir Alexander Bruce Tulloch

"...our men were perfect, but the Dervishes were superb beyond perfection. It was the largest, best and bravest army that ever fought against us for Mahdism and it died worthy of the huge empire that Mahdism won and kept so long".
G.W.Stevens War Correspondent ,after Omdurman 1898

It seems ironic that Omdurman was considered a punitive expedition in vengeance for the death of Sir Gen. Charles Gordon at Khartoum 1885,
while the Mahdi himself, had the deepest respect for him, and was deeply angered and saddened at his death.

The volume of war trophies collected from the Sudan after Omdurman seems almost unimaginable, not to mention the literal industry that evolved selling these items to tourists in subsequent years.

All best regards,
Jim

colin henshaw · 17th April 2009, 08:19 PM

Many thanks Lee and Jim for your most informative comments.

Should you ever visit Scotland, I can recommend a visit to Blair Castle in Perthshire - in the ballroom is a fantastic collection of swords, drums, daggers, jibbehs etc, etc, brought back from Omdurman by Lord Tullibardine in 1898.

Best regards
Colin

Lew · 17th April 2009, 10:41 PM

Here is a Omdurman dagger dated 1898.

Jim McDougall · 17th April 2009, 11:14 PM

You bet Colin, thank you for the wonderful note on that collection....perhaps one day!!!!

All the best,
Jim

Lew · 19th April 2009, 04:47 AM

Colin

You might find this of interest? Seems that the kaskara still plays a major role even in todays Beja society.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHIQQpHnAAw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e18jOkmOpgs&NR=1

colin henshaw · 19th April 2009, 12:47 PM

Very interesting Lew. I wonder if the Beja still make kaskaras, or if the ones in the clips are heirloom pieces ?

Regards
Colin

Emanuel · 19th April 2009, 03:58 PM

Nice swords and interesting videos. Notice how thin and flexible the kaskaras in the videos are. Are the trade blades just as flexible? They seem much thicker to me.

Emanuel

colin henshaw · 19th April 2009, 04:25 PM

Hi Emanuel

Good point...my kaskara blades are a bit flexible, but not so much as the ones in the videos I think, and mine are thicker. Maybe this means the video kaskaras are of recent manufacture ? don't know...

(I have seen some kaskaras with what seem to be thin sheet steel blades, often completely acid etched with Arabic or pseudo-Arabic).

Regards

17th April 2009, 01:41 PM	#1
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Kaskaras from The Battle of Omdurman ? Hi I am posting pictures of these four Sudanese Kaskaras for comment. They all came together and had loops of old copper wire round the hilts, for hanging up. All were quite rusty, and I have been cleaning them. It occurred to me that they are all slightly different types, so maybe they were a representative sample, collected from the battlefield. (perhaps this is being too fanciful). The sword at the top of the image has engraved - star, sunburst and man in the moon, on both sides of the blade (difficult to photograph). All the hilts are damaged/fragmentary to some extent, although this has the advantage of showing their construction. Can anyone identify which blades would be imported and which are native-made ? Also, are there any references to the collection of trophies after the Battle of Omdurman in 1898 ? Many thanks Attached Images

17th April 2009, 03:05 PM	#2
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 889	Nice! All four appear to have 'trade blades' of European origin and this is indeed a very nice assortment of the sorts of blades which may be encountered. The top one with the engraved decoration appears to have a blade of the same type as may be seen in the takouba in the logo graphic at the top of this page. The Briggs monograph also shows a kaskara with this style of blade (and dates it relatively early) and I have also seen one other kaskara having one of these blades with this engraving and a fuller starting with a squared off origin well beyond the forte.

17th April 2009, 10:41 PM	#5
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Here is a Omdurman dagger dated 1898. Attached Images

17th April 2009, 07:53 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,739	Hi Colin, I completely agree with Lee, whose expertise and writing on these simple but outstanding Sudanese broadswords is well established here. These are very nice and sound examples of these battle trophies from a profoundly important period in British colonial history. These are as noted ,characteristically mounted with European trade blades, and the top one with the central fuller extending fully to the blade tip, is of earlier form. The example with the pommel cap missing, has the crossguard with the central 'X' and flared quilllons typical of the swords coming from the eastern Sudan in Darfur, and while in some degree present at Omdurman, were more unique as trophies from that battle. This is primarily because Darfur tribes were mostly resistant in joining with the Mahdist movement, perhaps due to thier prevalent associations with the Senussi factions to the west. With regard to the collection of trophies from Omdurman in 1898, and during the ensuing occupation. A very good essay on this subject by Michael Stevenson in 2002, cites as follows: "...the British admiration for an enemy intensified thier desire to collect war trophies". Maj. Gen. Sir Alexander Bruce Tulloch "...our men were perfect, but the Dervishes were superb beyond perfection. It was the largest, best and bravest army that ever fought against us for Mahdism and it died worthy of the huge empire that Mahdism won and kept so long". G.W.Stevens War Correspondent ,after Omdurman 1898 It seems ironic that Omdurman was considered a punitive expedition in vengeance for the death of Sir Gen. Charles Gordon at Khartoum 1885, while the Mahdi himself, had the deepest respect for him, and was deeply angered and saddened at his death. The volume of war trophies collected from the Sudan after Omdurman seems almost unimaginable, not to mention the literal industry that evolved selling these items to tourists in subsequent years. All best regards, Jim

17th April 2009, 08:19 PM	#4
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Many thanks Lee and Jim for your most informative comments. Should you ever visit Scotland, I can recommend a visit to Blair Castle in Perthshire - in the ballroom is a fantastic collection of swords, drums, daggers, jibbehs etc, etc, brought back from Omdurman by Lord Tullibardine in 1898. Best regards Colin

17th April 2009, 11:14 PM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,739	You bet Colin, thank you for the wonderful note on that collection....perhaps one day!!!! All the best, Jim

19th April 2009, 04:47 AM	#7
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Colin You might find this of interest? Seems that the kaskara still plays a major role even in todays Beja society. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHIQQpHnAAw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e18jOkmOpgs&NR=1

19th April 2009, 12:47 PM	#8
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Very interesting Lew. I wonder if the Beja still make kaskaras, or if the ones in the clips are heirloom pieces ? Regards Colin

19th April 2009, 03:58 PM	#9
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Nice swords and interesting videos. Notice how thin and flexible the kaskaras in the videos are. Are the trade blades just as flexible? They seem much thicker to me. Emanuel

19th April 2009, 04:25 PM	#10
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Hi Emanuel Good point...my kaskara blades are a bit flexible, but not so much as the ones in the videos I think, and mine are thicker. Maybe this means the video kaskaras are of recent manufacture ? don't know... (I have seen some kaskaras with what seem to be thin sheet steel blades, often completely acid etched with Arabic or pseudo-Arabic). Regards