kaskara sword travelling through Sahara

francantolin · 15th June 2023, 07:55 PM

Hello dear members,

I wanted to show you this kaskara sword,
It was a long time I tried to get one.

I think it is a sudanese 'model'' with his silver hilt and tassel.
it was bought to a Tuareg nomad in 1973 in south Algeria.

The scabbard seems not old,

The blade is interesting, flexible and ''springs'' when we hit it.
Oakeshott X type ,

Good local ''imitation'' blade ( made in Sudan ?? )
or an old european ? ( but without ricasso...)

Edster · 16th June 2023, 01:40 PM

Exceptional Kaskara. The grip is of the Hadendawa style and the cross guard is called Sennar, both likely from the Kassala sword market in Eastern Sudan. The blade is pattern welded (? is that the term), but the wide & deep finely made fuller isn't a Kassala or even Sudan style.The blade was likely crafted in Ethiopia. Interesting that it was trafficed to the Tuareg without any cultural related changes. Perhaps a memento.

Best,
Ed

francantolin · 16th June 2023, 06:47 PM

Thank's a lot for your reply Ed !
I don't really know if the blade is pattern welded but we can see an interesting steel structure and succesive sharpenings when I zoom with my camera

Here a picture of the majestic and friendly Tuareg who previously owned the sword,
He was walking with his dromedarys ($) between Djanet and the Tassili,
close to Libya and Niger frontiers.

David R · 16th June 2023, 09:43 PM

You can get a similar pattern from a water quench of a variety of steels, not just pattern welded. Nice sword and a good and high class example of the type.

stephen wood · 17th June 2023, 06:52 PM

A fine example.

I have one very similar with the unusual blade profile.

Very interesting that it was found so far west.

werecow · 17th June 2023, 08:05 PM

I have one with a similar blade as well, as seen below (although that is not my foot!

).

francantolin · 17th June 2023, 10:03 PM

Thank you all for your messages and really nice model Werecow 🙂

Can we say that these blades were made in Ethiopia or South Soudan ?
Really flexibles, well balanced and sharp...

For the west area of the kaskara,
I know that that most/all tuaregs have takoubas but
I wanted to add that I saw years ago ''many'' black tuaregs in Tamanrasset walking with their kaskara on their side, fixed on a belt with baldric not on the shoulder.,
The final tip of the scabbard almost on the ground.
sign of prestige/importance ?
It was in 2002, the local guide told me these tuaregs came from Mali .( really close)
Interesting ( a thought ),the scabbard of the kaskara looks like the malian mandingo's swords.
In Tamanrasset, they were kaskaras, long straights swords with large cross guard.
Sadly no.pictures...

francantolin · 17th June 2023, 10:22 PM

Takouba, clearly the Tuareg sword
( here I have the picture 🙂 )

Edster · 18th June 2023, 12:31 AM

Ethiopia maybe, but likely not South Soudan as they didn't make broadswords.

Your and Werecow's swords are virtually identical and could have been made in the same smithy. It would be interesting to compare dimensions.

The Ethiopian origin is only a guess. They had the sword making talent & skills and a my Kassala informant 1985 said they specialized in wide channeled fullers on broadswords. (Also, to my knowledge wide fullered blades were not typically included as 19 C. European trade blades.) Even though they preferred curved blades and bought finished single edged swords from England among others.

The blades could have been battlefield pick-ups from the Battle of Gallabat, March 1889, and redressed into Hadendawa kaskaras.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gallabat

Best,
Ed

15th June 2023, 07:55 PM	#1
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 817	kaskara sword travelling through Sahara Hello dear members, I wanted to show you this kaskara sword, It was a long time I tried to get one. I think it is a sudanese 'model'' with his silver hilt and tassel. it was bought to a Tuareg nomad in 1973 in south Algeria. The scabbard seems not old, The blade is interesting, flexible and ''springs'' when we hit it. Oakeshott X type , Good local ''imitation'' blade ( made in Sudan ?? ) or an old european ? ( but without ricasso...) Attached Images

16th June 2023, 06:47 PM	#3
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 817	Thank's a lot for your reply Ed ! I don't really know if the blade is pattern welded but we can see an interesting steel structure and succesive sharpenings when I zoom with my camera Here a picture of the majestic and friendly Tuareg who previously owned the sword, He was walking with his dromedarys ($) between Djanet and the Tassili, close to Libya and Niger frontiers. Attached Images

17th June 2023, 08:05 PM	#6
werecow Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: Leiden, NL Posts: 433	I have one with a similar blade as well, as seen below (although that is not my foot! ). Attached Images

17th June 2023, 10:22 PM	#8
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 817	Takouba, clearly the Tuareg sword ( here I have the picture 🙂 ) Attached Images

16th June 2023, 01:40 PM	#2
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 391	Exceptional Kaskara. The grip is of the Hadendawa style and the cross guard is called Sennar, both likely from the Kassala sword market in Eastern Sudan. The blade is pattern welded (? is that the term), but the wide & deep finely made fuller isn't a Kassala or even Sudan style.The blade was likely crafted in Ethiopia. Interesting that it was trafficed to the Tuareg without any cultural related changes. Perhaps a memento. Best, Ed

16th June 2023, 09:43 PM	#4
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,052	You can get a similar pattern from a water quench of a variety of steels, not just pattern welded. Nice sword and a good and high class example of the type.

17th June 2023, 06:52 PM	#5
stephen wood Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 227	A fine example. I have one very similar with the unusual blade profile. Very interesting that it was found so far west.

17th June 2023, 10:03 PM	#7
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 817	Thank you all for your messages and really nice model Werecow 🙂 Can we say that these blades were made in Ethiopia or South Soudan ? Really flexibles, well balanced and sharp... For the west area of the kaskara, I know that that most/all tuaregs have takoubas but I wanted to add that I saw years ago ''many'' black tuaregs in Tamanrasset walking with their kaskara on their side, fixed on a belt with baldric not on the shoulder., The final tip of the scabbard almost on the ground. sign of prestige/importance ? It was in 2002, the local guide told me these tuaregs came from Mali .( really close) Interesting ( a thought ),the scabbard of the kaskara looks like the malian mandingo's swords. In Tamanrasset, they were kaskaras, long straights swords with large cross guard. Sadly no.pictures...

18th June 2023, 12:31 AM	#9
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 391	Ethiopia maybe, but likely not South Soudan as they didn't make broadswords. Your and Werecow's swords are virtually identical and could have been made in the same smithy. It would be interesting to compare dimensions. The Ethiopian origin is only a guess. They had the sword making talent & skills and a my Kassala informant 1985 said they specialized in wide channeled fullers on broadswords. (Also, to my knowledge wide fullered blades were not typically included as 19 C. European trade blades.) Even though they preferred curved blades and bought finished single edged swords from England among others. The blades could have been battlefield pick-ups from the Battle of Gallabat, March 1889, and redressed into Hadendawa kaskaras. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gallabat Best, Ed