Sudanese Mahdist weapons
I found this photograph taken from "The Navy and Army Illustrated" 5th November 1898, which shows a collection of Mahdist weapons and other items seized after the Anglo-Egyptian victory at the Battle Of Omdurman. Its useful as it illustrates a variety of weapons employed by the Sudanese forces. A scholar of this period in Sudanese history told me the Mahdists used basically whatever weapons they could get hold of. This is exemplified by some of the items shown ... Ethiopian shield, Azande shield, Ottoman shamshir sword, cuirass from Lake Chad area. The chain mail hauberk looks like its from India ?
The helmets are especially of note ... could they be Sudanese made ?
Anyway, hopefully the image will be of interest to some forumites, observations etc are welcome.
|