Takooba

From SwordWiki

Overview

The Tuareg sword or takooba has a straight and double edged blade. The hilt with its disc-shaped pommel, ornate cruciform crosspiece and grip. The crosspiece is elaborately decorated with variety of materials, including leather, brass, tin plate and iron nails.

Baldric was used to carry the takooba. It was usually slung over shoulder.

The Hausa sword shares the same basic form with takooba. But the takooba is more ornate in design.

It has often been suggested that the Hausa and Tuareg swords were influenced with 13th century European crusader sword desings, but in the areas where takooba and Hausa swords were used there are no evidence for the use of European swords earlier than 15th century.

The short sword or dagger of Tuareg people is called telek or gozma.