Unsure of Kasakara's age

Jack Fletcher · 15th December 2021, 04:21 PM

Good Afternoon All

Firstly I best introduce myself as its my first post. I am a collector of 1880's period British Military items specifically relating to the Battle of Maiwand, Afghanistan 1880 and The Battle of Tofrek, Sudan 1885. For some reason I have been drawn into Sudanese weapons and items from that period more and more and starting to collect in this area.

I have read some fantastic papers on the subject on this group and hopefully can ask those knowledgeable in this area for their wisdom and thoughts.

This kaskara is the one I'm mainly concerned about its age after reading the articles. I have attached photos but the blade is 34inch long, pretty flexible and marked with the crescent moons on both sides.

If anyone can give me any pointers to what I should look for fin 19th Century Kaskaras that be great but I have a hunch this isn't one.

Look forward to your comments

Jack

TVV · 15th December 2021, 07:50 PM

Welcome to the forum Jack,

Edster is the forum member who has done extensive research on the subject, and you can find his threads with a simple search, as well as his papers here, under Africa:

http://vikingsword.com/ethsword/

He studied the manufacturing process of kaskaras in Kassala in the 1980s and therefore has a better perspective on dating these swords than pretty much anyone else here. I am sure that he will chime in when he sees the thread.

Looking at the pictures I agree with your assessment. The blade with its three fullers follows a popular pattern of trade blades manufactured in Europe and exported to Africa in the 19th century, but European made blades from that period tend to have straight and even fullers, while these are rougher, suggesting local blacksmith work. The crossguard also looks like it is a form, associated with the 20th century as a simplified version of earlier guards that were more complex to forge out of 6 different pieces. Taking all this into account, it becomes really hard to place this sword in the late 19th century.

That being said, I would not be totally disappointed with it, because it is a good representation of the form as used during the Mahdiyya. Kaskaras with old imported blades and high quality fittings are increasingly hard to find, and this can serve as a placeholder until you source one for your collection. If it is any consolation, it helps to keep in mind that the kaskara remained in use as a male attribute in the Sudan until modern times, so even a 20th century sword would still have been carried and used within the original cultural context, even if not as a primary weapon.

Sincerely,
Teodor

Edster · 15th December 2021, 09:00 PM

Jack,

Welcome to the Forum and to the land of Kaskara fans. I can only add a little to what Teodor has said. The good part I can add is your sword was made by a smith named Awad Adam as indicated by his maker's mark, sort of like the number 40 or "Arbane" in Arabic. Adam worked in the Suq al Haddad or blacksmith's market/work shop in Kassala. According to my field notes he was said to be active when I was there in 1984 and made 3-4 blades/day. Just guessing, but he likely had a career of at least 10-15 years so I'd estimate your sword was made in 1970s at the earliest. Your sword looks well used and was certainly an item of daily dress and armament in a period of social unrest in Eastern Sudan following the construction of irrigated agricultural projects that displaced considerable populations.

Regards,
Ed

Ian · 16th December 2021, 12:03 PM

Jack,

Welcome to the Forum. It's interesting that you are looking for weapons used in the Sudan in 1885. I recently purchased a kaskara at an Australian Auction that was brought back by a member of a New South Wales Contingent, which saw limited action in the Sudan in 1885 in support of other British forces. The discussion thread is here.

I am still waiting to receive the sword but will post better pictures when it arrives.

Ian.

Jack Fletcher · 16th December 2021, 02:33 PM

Thankyou so much for your replies and the information Teodor and Ed its massively appreciated as I definitely want to learn more about these fantastic swords and the only real source of information is this forum and the articles that Ed was kindly posted on his research. Its great that you've been able to identify the maker and even though its a 1980 sword rather than 1880 it has its own history and as said is a nice gap filler.
I do have a few other kaskaras to post up aswel as a couple of other sudanese items that I will post over the coming days/weeks.

Ian that kaskara you've bought is an absolute beauty. Love the ornate decorations and even more that its an NSW contingent bring back. I have strong links to the Berkshires as it was my home country regiment 7 ancestors who served with them and a distant relative who was killed at Maiwand with the 66th foot. Tofrek for me is a fascinating engagement in the fact it could have very easily been a slaughter like maiwand but was turned around by great officers, exceptional NCO's and the bravery of the men to stand their ground and not be routed like some of the Indian troops were.
My collection is mainly British but just something about sudanese weapons of the day I love.

Edster · 16th December 2021, 09:54 PM

Jack,

As you know the Brits were attacked by Osman Digna's Hadendoah Beja at the Battle of Tofrek. Other than kaskara they likely used the knives shown in the attached link during the battle. The hooked type was used on foot and very effective against cavalry by cutting ankles and legs and/or reins and in general close combat.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13060

Take care,
Ed

Jack Fletcher · 18th December 2021, 11:13 AM

Hi Ed

I havent fully explored the dagger side of sudanese weapons but definitely will be looking to get a few nice examples of Beja ones. Also love some of the triple daggers that I have seen examples of with croc skin scabbards. I've added another kaskara to the forum to be viewed.

Pertinax · 10th September 2025, 05:45 PM

I received Kaskara, I did not create a new topic because I think it is also from Kassala. The blade is very badly corroded, I had to use chemicals to clean it. I will be glad if Edster joins in and gives more detailed information.

Overall length: 1025 mm, blade length: 900 mm, weight: 960 g

Best regards,
Yuri

Edster · 10th September 2025, 09:51 PM

Yuri,

I agree with your Kassala attribution. I know nothing re the maker's mark. Note the Beja/Hadendawa tassel below the pommel.

The cross guard shows what are likely incomplete forge welds on the bottom as well as the end of one of the cross pieces. Check to see if the bottom langets look to be bent to shape instead of welded in place. If the above are the case then the cross guard was bent to shape from a flat piece as I noted in the Cross Guard essay and was "invented" c. 1945 in Kassala. Thus, your kaskara took its current form post 1945. I collected one very much like it when I was there in the mid-80s. It's foto is in the essay and shows a noted incomplete cross guard forge weld.

Best regards,
Ed

Jim McDougall · Yesterday, 06:01 PM

What intrigues me the most on the kaskara, among many things of course, is how the traditions that became focused on these swords in their ersatz development in the mid 19th c. became so firmly emplaced in the 20th century from the form as it evolved during the Mahdiyya.

The familiar 'dukari' (dual crescent moons) seem to be native interpretations of the well known crescent moon seen in the cosmology of European blade motif of the 18th century. These kinds of astral symbols were of course well known in other cultural contexts, which included native folk religions, so they were easily absorbed in those in Saharan regions.
The native interpretation (Rodd, 1928) was 'magic' which was imbued into the blade. In the European sense these perceptions were 'quality', while to the native population it meant power, warrior strength.

As Briggs (1965) said, as far as he had known, no cases of these dual moons were of European origin, and if blades were imported, they were placed accordingly cold stamped by native artisans.

As stamps wore through and were broken from use, they degenerated and much as with coins having faulted imprints from degraded dies, often more recent examples of these 'dukari' can be identified in this way.
It appears that in more modern times, as well illustrated in Ed's research, as well as in some of Briggs et al, the character of these 'moons' became altered into stylized geometrics in like configuration and became essentially makers marks, as Ed discovered.

These two kaskara are of Mahdiyya era ,
The first, in acid etched thuluth script, with 'dukari' and brass guard, as found in these types of weapons produced at Omdurman post Khartoum. Many other weapon forms were also acid etched in this manner, and taken from the field at the battle site.

The next is an entirely crocodile covered kaskara, with the foot as hilt, clearly not conducive to combat use, but in my opinion likely to chieftains or holy men as more symbolic. The crocodile as I have been told was revered and feared, and while many have scoffed at these as 'souvenir', most evidence I have found shows this was not necessarily the case.
Note the cosmological motif on the blade.

Edster · Yesterday, 07:22 PM

Jim,

Here's a 2015 thread that noted half-moons on European swords back at least to the mid-18th C. The styles and details are varied enough for them to be wide spread.

Also, Post #4 has blade engravings much like those on your crock sword.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=19794

Best,
Ed

Pertinax · Yesterday, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edster

Yuri,

I agree with your Kassala attribution. I know nothing re the maker's mark. Note the Beja/Hadendawa tassel below the pommel.

The cross guard shows what are likely incomplete forge welds on the bottom as well as the end of one of the cross pieces. Check to see if the bottom langets look to be bent to shape instead of welded in place. If the above are the case then the cross guard was bent to shape from a flat piece as I noted in the Cross Guard essay and was "invented" c. 1945 in Kassala. Thus, your kaskara took its current form post 1945. I collected one very much like it when I was there in the mid-80s. It's foto is in the essay and shows a noted incomplete cross guard forge weld.

Best regards,
Ed

Many thanks to Edster.

You are absolutely right, here is a photo of the crosspiece.

Respectfully,
Yuri

Jim McDougall · Yesterday, 08:05 PM

Thanks Ed, I remember that discussion, and I was trying to find out if there was any instance of paired moons used in European context. As seen, there were a few cases, very few, but did not seem a ubiquitous enough convention that it would directly influence the spectrum of placement on North African blades.

15th December 2021, 04:21 PM	#1
Jack Fletcher Member Join Date: Jul 2021 Posts: 28	Unsure of Kasakara's age Good Afternoon All Firstly I best introduce myself as its my first post. I am a collector of 1880's period British Military items specifically relating to the Battle of Maiwand, Afghanistan 1880 and The Battle of Tofrek, Sudan 1885. For some reason I have been drawn into Sudanese weapons and items from that period more and more and starting to collect in this area. I have read some fantastic papers on the subject on this group and hopefully can ask those knowledgeable in this area for their wisdom and thoughts. This kaskara is the one I'm mainly concerned about its age after reading the articles. I have attached photos but the blade is 34inch long, pretty flexible and marked with the crescent moons on both sides. If anyone can give me any pointers to what I should look for fin 19th Century Kaskaras that be great but I have a hunch this isn't one. Look forward to your comments Jack Attached Images

16th December 2021, 09:54 PM	#6
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 437	Other Beja Weapons Jack, As you know the Brits were attacked by Osman Digna's Hadendoah Beja at the Battle of Tofrek. Other than kaskara they likely used the knives shown in the attached link during the battle. The hooked type was used on foot and very effective against cavalry by cutting ankles and legs and/or reins and in general close combat. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13060 Take care, Ed

10th September 2025, 05:45 PM	#8
Pertinax Member Join Date: Dec 2023 Location: City by the Black Sea Posts: 280	I received Kaskara, I did not create a new topic because I think it is also from Kassala. The blade is very badly corroded, I had to use chemicals to clean it. I will be glad if Edster joins in and gives more detailed information. Overall length: 1025 mm, blade length: 900 mm, weight: 960 g Best regards, Yuri Attached Images

Yesterday, 06:01 PM	#10
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,570	What intrigues me the most on the kaskara, among many things of course, is how the traditions that became focused on these swords in their ersatz development in the mid 19th c. became so firmly emplaced in the 20th century from the form as it evolved during the Mahdiyya. The familiar 'dukari' (dual crescent moons) seem to be native interpretations of the well known crescent moon seen in the cosmology of European blade motif of the 18th century. These kinds of astral symbols were of course well known in other cultural contexts, which included native folk religions, so they were easily absorbed in those in Saharan regions. The native interpretation (Rodd, 1928) was 'magic' which was imbued into the blade. In the European sense these perceptions were 'quality', while to the native population it meant power, warrior strength. As Briggs (1965) said, as far as he had known, no cases of these dual moons were of European origin, and if blades were imported, they were placed accordingly cold stamped by native artisans. As stamps wore through and were broken from use, they degenerated and much as with coins having faulted imprints from degraded dies, often more recent examples of these 'dukari' can be identified in this way. It appears that in more modern times, as well illustrated in Ed's research, as well as in some of Briggs et al, the character of these 'moons' became altered into stylized geometrics in like configuration and became essentially makers marks, as Ed discovered. These two kaskara are of Mahdiyya era , The first, in acid etched thuluth script, with 'dukari' and brass guard, as found in these types of weapons produced at Omdurman post Khartoum. Many other weapon forms were also acid etched in this manner, and taken from the field at the battle site. The next is an entirely crocodile covered kaskara, with the foot as hilt, clearly not conducive to combat use, but in my opinion likely to chieftains or holy men as more symbolic. The crocodile as I have been told was revered and feared, and while many have scoffed at these as 'souvenir', most evidence I have found shows this was not necessarily the case. Note the cosmological motif on the blade. Attached Images

15th December 2021, 07:50 PM	#2
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,716	Welcome to the forum Jack, Edster is the forum member who has done extensive research on the subject, and you can find his threads with a simple search, as well as his papers here, under Africa: http://vikingsword.com/ethsword/ He studied the manufacturing process of kaskaras in Kassala in the 1980s and therefore has a better perspective on dating these swords than pretty much anyone else here. I am sure that he will chime in when he sees the thread. Looking at the pictures I agree with your assessment. The blade with its three fullers follows a popular pattern of trade blades manufactured in Europe and exported to Africa in the 19th century, but European made blades from that period tend to have straight and even fullers, while these are rougher, suggesting local blacksmith work. The crossguard also looks like it is a form, associated with the 20th century as a simplified version of earlier guards that were more complex to forge out of 6 different pieces. Taking all this into account, it becomes really hard to place this sword in the late 19th century. That being said, I would not be totally disappointed with it, because it is a good representation of the form as used during the Mahdiyya. Kaskaras with old imported blades and high quality fittings are increasingly hard to find, and this can serve as a placeholder until you source one for your collection. If it is any consolation, it helps to keep in mind that the kaskara remained in use as a male attribute in the Sudan until modern times, so even a 20th century sword would still have been carried and used within the original cultural context, even if not as a primary weapon. Sincerely, Teodor

15th December 2021, 09:00 PM	#3
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 437	Jack, Welcome to the Forum and to the land of Kaskara fans. I can only add a little to what Teodor has said. The good part I can add is your sword was made by a smith named Awad Adam as indicated by his maker's mark, sort of like the number 40 or "Arbane" in Arabic. Adam worked in the Suq al Haddad or blacksmith's market/work shop in Kassala. According to my field notes he was said to be active when I was there in 1984 and made 3-4 blades/day. Just guessing, but he likely had a career of at least 10-15 years so I'd estimate your sword was made in 1970s at the earliest. Your sword looks well used and was certainly an item of daily dress and armament in a period of social unrest in Eastern Sudan following the construction of irrigated agricultural projects that displaced considerable populations. Regards, Ed

16th December 2021, 12:03 PM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,469	Jack, Welcome to the Forum. It's interesting that you are looking for weapons used in the Sudan in 1885. I recently purchased a kaskara at an Australian Auction that was brought back by a member of a New South Wales Contingent, which saw limited action in the Sudan in 1885 in support of other British forces. The discussion thread is here. I am still waiting to receive the sword but will post better pictures when it arrives. Ian.

16th December 2021, 02:33 PM	#5
Jack Fletcher Member Join Date: Jul 2021 Posts: 28	Thankyou so much for your replies and the information Teodor and Ed its massively appreciated as I definitely want to learn more about these fantastic swords and the only real source of information is this forum and the articles that Ed was kindly posted on his research. Its great that you've been able to identify the maker and even though its a 1980 sword rather than 1880 it has its own history and as said is a nice gap filler. I do have a few other kaskaras to post up aswel as a couple of other sudanese items that I will post over the coming days/weeks. Ian that kaskara you've bought is an absolute beauty. Love the ornate decorations and even more that its an NSW contingent bring back. I have strong links to the Berkshires as it was my home country regiment 7 ancestors who served with them and a distant relative who was killed at Maiwand with the 66th foot. Tofrek for me is a fascinating engagement in the fact it could have very easily been a slaughter like maiwand but was turned around by great officers, exceptional NCO's and the bravery of the men to stand their ground and not be routed like some of the Indian troops were. My collection is mainly British but just something about sudanese weapons of the day I love.

18th December 2021, 11:13 AM	#7
Jack Fletcher Member Join Date: Jul 2021 Posts: 28	Hi Ed I havent fully explored the dagger side of sudanese weapons but definitely will be looking to get a few nice examples of Beja ones. Also love some of the triple daggers that I have seen examples of with croc skin scabbards. I've added another kaskara to the forum to be viewed.

10th September 2025, 09:51 PM	#9
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 437	Yuri, I agree with your Kassala attribution. I know nothing re the maker's mark. Note the Beja/Hadendawa tassel below the pommel. The cross guard shows what are likely incomplete forge welds on the bottom as well as the end of one of the cross pieces. Check to see if the bottom langets look to be bent to shape instead of welded in place. If the above are the case then the cross guard was bent to shape from a flat piece as I noted in the Cross Guard essay and was "invented" c. 1945 in Kassala. Thus, your kaskara took its current form post 1945. I collected one very much like it when I was there in the mid-80s. It's foto is in the essay and shows a noted incomplete cross guard forge weld. Best regards, Ed

Yesterday, 07:22 PM	#11
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 437	Jim, Here's a 2015 thread that noted half-moons on European swords back at least to the mid-18th C. The styles and details are varied enough for them to be wide spread. Also, Post #4 has blade engravings much like those on your crock sword. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=19794 Best, Ed

Yesterday, 08:05 PM	#13
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,570	Thanks Ed, I remember that discussion, and I was trying to find out if there was any instance of paired moons used in European context. As seen, there were a few cases, very few, but did not seem a ubiquitous enough convention that it would directly influence the spectrum of placement on North African blades.