Object Title

Sword (kaskara) and scabbard - Kaskara

Sword (kaskara) and scabbard - Kaskara

Date

1800-1899

Object Number

XXVIS.63

Provenance

Presented 1947.

Physical Description

The blade is straight and double edged with chamfered cutting edges, with crude ricassos marked on each edge on one side of the blade and one ricasso marked on one edge on the other side. A broad central fuller runs about a fifth of the way down the blade on each side. A crude orb and cross is scratched into one fuller, with a stylised, unidentified symbol resembling a candelabra mounted on three petals which emerges from underneath the langet. On the other side is engraved a stylized four-legged creature, possibly intended to be an approximation of the running wolf mark, but resembling a lizard, or a monkey, or perhaps even a lion-like animal, and another crudely scratched symbol is located under the langet on this side, vaguely reminiscent of a keyhole with a split base. The cruciform hilt has a cross-guard of darkened metal, with typical short, rectangular langets extending down over the blade and quillons of diamond section swelling towards the ends. The round grip is of wood with a cylindrical flat disc pommel, and covered with crocodile skin.

The scabbard is of thin board, swelling towards the base into a leaf shape, and covered with lizard or snake skin. There are two metal suspension loops mounted through two raised mouldings.

Materials

Ferrous metal, Wood, Lizard skin, Crocodile skin, Snake skin

Dimensions

SwordLength1040 mm
SwordWeight1040 g
BladeLength920 mm
ScabbardLength945 mm
ScabbardWeight182 g
CrossguardWidth158 mm

Inscriptions and Marks

Marks
A crude orb and cross is scratched into one fuller, and a stylised, unidentified symbol resembling a candelabra mounted on three petals which emerges from underneath the langet. On the other side is engraved a stylised four-legged creature, possibly intended to be an approximation of the running wolf mark, but resembling a lizard, or a monkey, or perhaps even a lion-like animal, and another crudely scratched symbol is located under the langet on this side, vaguely reminiscent of a keyhole with a split base.		Scratched into the fuller underneath the langets and part way down the blade on each side.

Associations

Information

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