Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 21st September 2019, 05:12 AM

Just going through piles of notes I finally excavated here in the bookmobile, and found some interesting passim notes.

First I am inclined to agree on the lack of substantial evidence for the import of guards, that single reference (1871)does not seem adequate to be convincing. Still the
idea of Solingen producing blades specifically for export to markets in North Africa seems quite logical. In notes I found a reference Artzi appears to have made suggesting just that in 2005, but I cannot find more detail other than that note.

I. Palme ("Travels in Kordofan" ) notes that the lion and cross and orb were most popular in Darfur. I am trying to find the book that has reference to the blades seen in Darfur in 1880s which at that time the author suggested blades were coming in from Austria. I think it was Slatin, and it seems the lion and cross and orb were mentioned. Naturally these would have been Solingen blades.

The application of the cross and orb and lion were probably as Iain has suggested, talismanic versions of European marks which became perceived as power or magic . Briggs notes (p.40) that such copper marks were applied by natives, and by referencing Henri Lhote (1954, p.9-12).

While many of these notes apply to Taureg weapons, the conventions and superstitious perspectives certainly transmitted via the trade networks just as the blades into Sudanese context.
We know through Briggs that the fly, as well as standing lion and cross and orb were found on Taureg chiefs blades (Raidera and Adembar, 1917, near Agades). The Briggs reference here was Gabus (1958).

The lion and fly were also found on blades in Asmara, Eritrea.

Clearly the blades using these markings were well known and diffused through trade networks for some time. Kull's active period in Solingen ended c. 1860 so these blades circulated for generations.

Returning to the copper/brass used in application of these markings, apparently there was an apotropaic value which had to do with neutralizing the potential for the blade breaking ("Aspects of the Use of Copper in Pre Colonial West Africa", E. Herbert, Journal of African History, Vol. 14, #2, 1973, p. 179-94).
While obviously here referring to West Africa, the concepts easily spread trans Sahara.

21st September 2019, 05:12 AM	#18
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,747	Just going through piles of notes I finally excavated here in the bookmobile, and found some interesting passim notes. First I am inclined to agree on the lack of substantial evidence for the import of guards, that single reference (1871)does not seem adequate to be convincing. Still the idea of Solingen producing blades specifically for export to markets in North Africa seems quite logical. In notes I found a reference Artzi appears to have made suggesting just that in 2005, but I cannot find more detail other than that note. I. Palme ("Travels in Kordofan" ) notes that the lion and cross and orb were most popular in Darfur. I am trying to find the book that has reference to the blades seen in Darfur in 1880s which at that time the author suggested blades were coming in from Austria. I think it was Slatin, and it seems the lion and cross and orb were mentioned. Naturally these would have been Solingen blades. The application of the cross and orb and lion were probably as Iain has suggested, talismanic versions of European marks which became perceived as power or magic . Briggs notes (p.40) that such copper marks were applied by natives, and by referencing Henri Lhote (1954, p.9-12). While many of these notes apply to Taureg weapons, the conventions and superstitious perspectives certainly transmitted via the trade networks just as the blades into Sudanese context. We know through Briggs that the fly, as well as standing lion and cross and orb were found on Taureg chiefs blades (Raidera and Adembar, 1917, near Agades). The Briggs reference here was Gabus (1958). The lion and fly were also found on blades in Asmara, Eritrea. Clearly the blades using these markings were well known and diffused through trade networks for some time. Kull's active period in Solingen ended c. 1860 so these blades circulated for generations. Returning to the copper/brass used in application of these markings, apparently there was an apotropaic value which had to do with neutralizing the potential for the blade breaking ("Aspects of the Use of Copper in Pre Colonial West Africa", E. Herbert, Journal of African History, Vol. 14, #2, 1973, p. 179-94). While obviously here referring to West Africa, the concepts easily spread trans Sahara.