The 33 / 99 configuration
 

Ibrahiim, I think it is very interesting what you brought up, and in Damascene work by Hendley from the end of 1800, he shows several hilts and discs - on of them is the attached. This one also has 33 sun rays, but on tne hilt Hindu deities are shown. You may be right when it comes to Muslim hilts, but there could be something else involved/other meaning when it comes to Hindu hilts.
Jens

Salaams Jens Nordlunde ~ I see you have openend another thread just as I was posting this to the old one ... I was just looking at the exact same problem and discovered the following ~ It may, however, not be associated only in Islamic rituals since my research on Hindu numbers indicates it too has a certain affection with the number 33 ~

330 million gods

"It is said that" Hindus believe there are 330 million deities. In the Vedas, Thirty-three gods are listed. This is followed by the Sanskrit word koti, which is used for "class" but can also be used for a number equal to 10 million. According to one view, some scholars misinterpreted the word koti - which is meant to mean "class", claiming that there are 330 million gods within Hinduism. Another view contends that 330 million is a figure symbolizing infinity, indicating infinite forms of God.

So today I learn something !

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Please excuse me for doing so Ibrahiim, but the reason was, that I did not want to start discussing something different in Norman's mail. Making his post taking quite another direction.
I think this discussion is most interesting - and new to me, so I thought I would keep it in another thread.
When it comes to the number of deities in India, you are a head of me :-), as I have not yet studied the religion much - a bit but not enough.
This is of course a very important and big part of it all, but I am still 'stuck' with the history, the weapons, miniatures and that 'lot'.
Best
Jens

Salaams Jens Nordlunde ~ No Im not ahead of you in that respect but that having blurted out the detail of 33 therefor I had to research like mad to confirm my findings... In this case I was completely wrong but I spent a few hours checking and double checking. Actually the superb example of hilt you show does appear to have engraved onto it all of the deities within the group of 33 Hindu gods we are talking of... This is a magnificent example.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.