Ethnographic Arms & Armour

Ethnographic Arms & Armour (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/index.php)

- Ethnographic Weapons (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?f=2)

- - Omani barrel. (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=20389)

Thank you for the "Omani Silver" link, Ibrahiim!

The information is Very interesting, And very thorough!!

This Does add another aspect to this barrel question.
Reading through the "Matchlock" part, the early description does sound like these barrels, except it says the barrels were to be 'thick', with gold /silver at the breech, mid-section and muzzle.

The very small bore sounds spot on, And the dragon on the pan area Also seems the same on the one shown photographed at the museum, compared to those above, so whether these barrels came from Ceylon Or Persia I do not know!!??!.
It appears that Both types bore Persian /Arabic inscriptions, but is the barrel illustrated from the same region as the one ones above?? The decoration is very different....
According to Elgood, many if not most Singalese matchlocks had the pan on the left side, as they for some reason were often fitted with left-hand locks.
If this is a fact, it narrows down the possibility of these barrels being in the original 200 ordered from Ceylon.
Also, the typical Omani barrels I have seen do not have the gold/silver at the breech, middle, and muzzle, as the ones in the 200 purchased seem to have had.
Yes, a little silver band or so just forward of the breech, and maybe a band somewhat behind the muzzle, but is this what is being described?
I think I know why no real books have been written about this up to now!

More questions than answers...
Thank you for all your contributions, Ibrahiim!
Have you had opportunity to visit this museum?

Very best wishes,
Richard.

PS, I feel a bit bogged down and need to think over all the additional information. All so Interesting!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

Salaams Pukka Bundook ~ Omani Silver dot com is a virtual museum but is being regularly updated. Regarding Sri Lankan influence ~The left fitted pan arrangement did happen there..and there is much about the Portuguese transfer of technology in gunpowder weapons .. although guns appear there before the advent of the Portuguese.

I believe a number of points of the compass witnessed weapons coming to Oman including from Persian, European, Red Sea and Sri Lankan trade. Delving into the facts is hugely difficult when you consider when Oman re emerged from the dark ages in about 1970.

MENTION OF MATCHLOCK BARRELS FAVOURED BY THE ARAB MERCENARIES SERVING IN MYSORE,INDI

FOUND THIS WHILE READING FIREARMS OF THE ISLAMIC WORLD,INDIA AND MYSORE KINGDOM OF TIPU SULTAN PERIOD
CONNECTION OF MANY TORADOR BARRELS ENDED UP IN OMAN

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pukka Bundook

Salaams Ibrahiim,

The parting of these barrels is a puzzlement to me, but well understand that a modern nitro powder is more than capable of such destruction.

These are the barrels that Robin Wiggington said were from "another part of India " when addressing two such barrels in Tipu Sultan's collection.
(Stocked up actually in a more modern European style, with snapping mechanisms and self-opening pans!)
Elgood believes Persian, though.

What I Do Not understand is;
Why do we not see these barrels on Persian arms, (correct me if I am wrong)
Or on Indian arms very often? I know of the two previously mentioned in Tipu Sultan's armoury, and One other from Sind, stocked in the Afghan style.
One would imagine wherever they came from before being traded into Oman, there would have been Some of them left in the country of origin.

Of interest is the fact that the cartouches in Tipu's barrels had Also been removed, so these and the ones you have Ibrahiim, may have had said cartouches removed for a Very long time!
Question if I may Ibrahiim;
Have you seen any of these barrels with the silver cartouche still in place?

Thank you for your time.
Richard.

Salaams BANDOOK...

EXCELLENT DETAIL !!!! Thank you.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.