Unsure of Kasakara's age

[Marc M.]

Interesting, my last kaskara, fairly standard, with a good blade, quite flexible and almost identical to the sword of the o.p. Based on the markings, it seems to me to be from the same smith and the same period. Thanks to Ed's research, the African craftsmen who often remain anonymous sometimes get a name and a face. Thanks also to Yuri, who has brought this old post back to life. I am posting this sword here for the same reason: it is not a particularly exceptional sword, but it is a silent witness, recently made in an age-old tradition, which is always fascinating.

Regards,
Marc

[Edster]

Marc,

Thanks for posting another of Awad Adam's excellent swords. Note the tapered blade hand made entirely by eye and exact forge strikes. The quality appears as good or better than any munitions grade made in Solingen in the 19th C. This is why it's often difficult to tell between "local" and "imported" blades. I guess most Mahdiya Era swords were made with imported blades and those in the 20th C. were made with locally made blades. Also, the about 1960s or so the Kassala swords began to be exported country-wide so they were widely distributed. I'm sure that almost everyone outside of the bigger city was armed with a sword for protection and/or culture even to the 1980s when I was there.

Here's a video of a sword trader lamenting the decline in sword interest/use, 8 years ago. (skip the dog part as it precedes the Kaskara part)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKGAb6XUKAc

Sword smith at work 7 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiwvGpbYhms

Best,
Ed

[Jim McDougall]

Ed,
A question on the crossguards with the notable 'X' at the center junction. I had always thought these were 'Darfur' from Reed (1987). What are the particulars on this feature?
Also, was there a period post Mahdiyya (or before) when Solingen sent already forged guards to Sudanese areas?

All the best
Jim

[Edster]

Jim,

I asked an informant in Kassala about the cross guard "X" and he just said it was preferred by some and not by others. It does add a fashion quality to the guard, but I know nothing about the origin. It could have been a stylistic addition in the Ali Dinar era.

Re imported cross guards, I found this reference:
1871. Frederic-Benoit Garnier wrote about imports through Suakin from Egypt. Andreas, in a 2014 EAA post, translates from the French that “among the goods were blades and cross guards of German manufacture. “ This is the first and only reference to imported German cross-guards. We don't know the material or design on the cross-guards, nor has any known examples emerged.

We recognize the cast brass guards on Ottoman/Mamluk sabers that were also usually seen on thaluthed blades. That type were readily casted in Egypt and could have been surplussed from captured Mamluk/Turkic weapons or cast in Omdurman during the Mahdiya. I believe that a pin was sometimes used to secure the Guard through a hole the blade's tang. I don't think that at least the Kassala smiths put a hole in their tangs; no need.

The kaskara is fitted together by wood from the grip wedged between the blade and the cross guard to. create a unitary assembly. The size of the space in the cross guard would be difficult to prescribe in a foreign made forged cross guard. So I doubt if imported would have been desired or used. Also note that imports from Egypt were halted in 1885 due to the Hicks Event, and the British controlled Suakin port throughout virtually the same period. Any smuggling would be for higher value goods rather than cross guards.

Regards,
Ed