[Kyle League]

One Christmas I got a sword from an antique shop in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. The Higgins Armoury in Mass. is too busy to help me identify and learn about it. Can any members please tell me about the style, timeperiod, nations that used it, and any other interesting bits?

[Timo Nieminen]

It's a kaskara, a traditional Sudanese sword.

Yours looks quite modern (especially the scabbard). If recently purchased in Saudi Arabia, I'd expect modern anyway. There are plenty of 19th century and early 20th century ones in collections, due to "colonial collecting" at that time, and colonial war trophies. Sometimes older ones are seen, but they're not so common.

Sometimes these have European trade blades (usually 19th century German) which are sometimes claimed to be Medieval European (but aren't). Very sometimes, they have recycled Medieval blades. Locally made blades are common, which sometimes imitate European trade blades including markings. Your blade look locally made and modern, but it's hard to be certain from the photo. (Blades can be older than the rest of the sword, especially older than the scabbard.)

Searching www and google images for "kaskara" should find more, and many examples to compare with. There is a somewhat similar Tuareg sword, the takouba.

[Kyle League]

That is the kind of information I was looking for, thank you very much for your assistance.