Sudanese shamshir? anomaly

Jim McDougall · 28th December 2021, 02:26 AM

Thanks very much guys! I've had this for a very long time, but never adequately researched it. The blade I think someone said was Turkish 'bayez'? or some such form of Ottoman watered steel...I am a complete neanderthal at metallurgy, so cannot recall and cannot get more images of blade yet.

Teodor, spot on with the Mamluks into Sennar, and while they were effectively ended in degree by the Egyptian sultan, the Mamluk culture through descendants prevailed there as traders and artisans. I think this is where the notable convention of thuluth on blades and metalwork came from in the Caliphate before Omdurman as this was a Mamluk tradition.

As far as I have known, this is the only example of this kind of Sudanese 'saber', and would be thrilled to know of any other examples or supporting literature.
We know that Tuaregs who were of course keen on broadswords, did have curved blade sabers termed aljuinar (per Lee Jones )but this seems compellingly Sudanese.

28th December 2021, 02:26 AM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,282	Thanks very much guys! I've had this for a very long time, but never adequately researched it. The blade I think someone said was Turkish 'bayez'? or some such form of Ottoman watered steel...I am a complete neanderthal at metallurgy, so cannot recall and cannot get more images of blade yet. Teodor, spot on with the Mamluks into Sennar, and while they were effectively ended in degree by the Egyptian sultan, the Mamluk culture through descendants prevailed there as traders and artisans. I think this is where the notable convention of thuluth on blades and metalwork came from in the Caliphate before Omdurman as this was a Mamluk tradition. As far as I have known, this is the only example of this kind of Sudanese 'saber', and would be thrilled to know of any other examples or supporting literature. We know that Tuaregs who were of course keen on broadswords, did have curved blade sabers termed aljuinar (per Lee Jones )but this seems compellingly Sudanese.