Double disc pommel kaskara

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by Iain

I checked through my notes on this one. According to Nickel, likely collected after the Siege of Omdurman and acquired by the MET along with several other very good swords.

It seems to be 19th century Qajar revival. The cartouche reads Ali of Shiraz the maker, on the opposite side the name and title of Sultan Nasir ad Din Shah Qajar (1848-1896).

Iain,

Those dates and the Qajar attribution help explain both the type of wootz, and the snake motif....both more common on Qajar era pieces.

Still fascinates me that it found its way to the Sudan.

Like Gavin, I'd love to know what the original scabbard looked like.

[Iain]

An item such as this sword blade seems perhaps most likely to have arrived into the Sudan as a diplomatic gift. Perhaps it is also within the realm of possibility that some Sudanese would have journeyed to Persia in the 19th century due to the shared religious connect of both areas being Shi'a.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Iain

An item such as this sword blade seems perhaps most likely to have arrived into the Sudan as a diplomatic gift. Perhaps it is also within the realm of possibility that some Sudanese would have journeyed to Persia in the 19th century due to the shared religious connect of both areas being Shi'a.

I am inclined to agree Iain, and going through old notes I find that there were indeed many examples of imports from Persia in arms and armour in the Sudan, I believe coming in through Suakin. I believe that profound Sufi presence in Darfur may have played important part in some of the circumstances with these arms and motif found in many cases.

I must admit I have never seen the dual headed snake, however it is tempting to think of possible allusion to the Sword Dhu'l Faqar and its dual blade theme.
The snake is often seen on the Darfur blades incorporated with the lohr (prayer board) type motif with crescent moons etc and in other notes I found that in certain aspects the snake may have associations representing a holy person. It is noted elsewhere that the snake represents either Moses himself or his staff which of course became a snake.

In addition to the remarkable quality and being a wootz blade, this carved out snake motif is most unusual, and the cartouche as well. It does seem of diplomatic stature.

The double discoid pommel seems to align with other kaskara hilts of this type known in Darfur which were carried by nobility. These usually had double spheres hollowed out to hold beans or pebbles and were rattled loudly in feigned charges toward prisoners or other situations to emphasize power or instill fear as the sword was furiously brandished.