Судан и Большой Ближний Восток

251 Alexander S. Matveev. A Case of Survival of an Early Medieval Straight Sword... that much in the strictly speaking ‘scholarly community’ but rather among the collectors. 1 However, how exactly this happened? Being a reference book, the Kaskara entry is short: KASKARA. The sword carried by the Baghirmi (Sahara). It is a straight- bladed sword with a plain cross guard such as is used in the Sudan. (Burton Sword 162). Some have fine old European or Oriental blades which are very highly valued. Occasionally the chapes and hilts are covered with gold. Fig. 425.” 2 The figure (see Fig. 13) contained some further information in the caption: Figure 425. Kaskara. 1. Double-edged Arab blade dated A. H. 357 (A. D. 967) covered with inscriptions. Length 35.5 inches. Straight cross guard gold plated; grip and pommel covered with gold plates, the former embossed and the latter carved with inscriptions in Arabic. Scabbard of leather partly covered with velvet with a gold chape. 2. Straight, double-edged blade 2 feet 8 inches long. Plain iron cross guard. Leather scabbard and belt. Calling the kaskara the ‘Baghirmi’ sword, Stone meant the Bagirmi ‘kingdom’ that existed in the South-West of the modern Republic of Chad, to the South-East of the Lake Chad (see the map on Fig. 14), i. e. some 500 km West of Darfur. He referred to the book of Richard Burton ‘The Book of the Sword’, printed in 1884, 3 i. e. before the Suda- nese swords have been published by Egerton. While describing Sahel weaponry, Burton, in turn referring to the book of Henry Barth, 4 simply 1 Thus, the major works on the matter, by Dr Edwin Hunley, have been published not in well-established Academic journals, but mainly in the ‘Viking Sword’ web forum. 2 Stone G. C. Op. cit. P. 339. 3 Burton Richard F. The Book of the Sword. London: Chatto andWind- ers, 1884. P. 162. 4 Barth H. Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa from the journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.’s government in the years 1849–1855. 5 vols. (In fact, Burton’s information