Судан и Большой Ближний Восток

249 Alexander S. Matveev. A Case of Survival of an Early Medieval Straight Sword... The early Arab tradition was noted by many European travellers of the 19th century, who assumed the European systemas the only possible way of carrying swords, thus they were surprised by such oddity. For instance, when the Blunts stopped at Kaf in the Wadi Sir ḥ ān during their 1879 journey they were startled a little by the way the people carried swords, which they “either sloped over their shoulders or grasped in both hands by the scabbard”. 1 This tradition was also recorded by such travellers as Buckhardt, Burton, Doughty and others, 2 and it similarly surprised them. Even such a good specialist onOriental arms as Egerton had doubts about the way of carrying Sudanese swords: he described a sword from his collection as “ probably worn over the shoulder”. 3 A short leather strap for wearing over the shoulder is present onmost of extant examples of the Sudanese scabbards, as well as additional lether tongs or cords to attach sword to the saddle. Besides that, a new “fashionable” way of using silk cords with big tassels became popular among wealthier people by the end of the 19th century. “These cords, called ‘ ḥ abak ’, were made in great quantities in Cairo which possessed a special bazaar for them and exported them to all the neighbouring countries where their price increased considerably.” 4 Probably, modern thick tassels attached to the upper part of the grip by short cords, usually associated with Beja tradition, are rooted in this late 19th C. fashion. 4. Kaskara : the Name And last but not least: the name of the Sudanese swords, i.e. the very term “ kaskara ” used to denote this type of weapon. Where it came from and when? One may, naturally, expect that it is a Suda- nese —Arabic or some other local language — name of these swords. 1 Lady Anne Blunt. A Pilgrimage to Nejd, the Cradle of the Arab Race. London, 1881. Vol. I. P. 85. 2 E.g., C. M. Doughty [Travels in Arabia Deserta. Vol. 1. Cambridge, 1888. P. 223] noted, describing the Bedouins: “...where menzils are far asunder, or after nightfall, they carry sword in their hands: the sword is suspended with a cord from the shoulder”. 3 Egerton. Op. cit. P. 168. 4 Elgood R. Op. cit. P. 21.