Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 9th January 2012, 05:51 PM

Salaams all. As a note to Forum as an update I advise the following?;

* The Straight Omani Sword is called Sayf.
* The Curved Omani sword is called Kattara.

The Omani Sayf has two parts to its life:
1. As an old Omani Battle Sword (Sayf) (affectionately known as Sayf Yamani) with turned down quillons pointed pommel short handle, stiff thick wing-like in "cross section blade construction" and pointed. This was a stab-slash-chop weapon, reigning supreme in Oman since arguably the mid 8thC AD (751)and in the Abbasid Style... until it was "apparently" superceded by a European Trade Blade in approximately the 18thC. A.D.
Both systems used the Buckler Shield. Both are called Sayf.

2. As the 18thC European Trade Blade replacement weapon and retaining the Buckler Shield inherriting the name Sayf; The sword was very different from its fore runner and comprised of a Tang Pommel and Long Blade as "all in one" construction and very flexible... bending almost through 90 degrees from the point and spatula tipped on a very long handle. No quillons. This was a slash and snick weapon. It continues to be produced locally today.

Vital to the understanding of the weapons history is the method by which it was passed down the generations through the Funoon an enacted pageant comprising life events; trade, farming, seafaring and war.

The flexible sword introduced at 2 above fell into that category of parade and dance item required in the Funoon pageant whilst retaining a fighting style and mimiced as a kind of combat form in the funoon called Razha and Ayaalah.. or sword dance. An exponent must be able to move quickly and buzz the sword by various ingenious flicks of the wrist where the blade can be used almost like a whip and when used as a group creates a very menacing ritual. Important that a blade be flexible and not stiff. When selecting a sword the first thing an exponent looks for is the flexibility... Trying to make a stiff sword hum and buzz is impossible ...
If its not flexible its not an Omani Sayf of approx. 18th C or after.

Swords coming from the Egyptian Mamluke era down the Red Sea and influencing Saudia and Yemeni weapons look similar to Omani Sayf but as recorded in the Yemeni Military Museum by Michael Blalocks Arabian Swords #1 they are thick inflexible blades and pointed. Similar blades are at # 47 and # 81 of this thread. I believe that this is purely coincidental and in keeping with Abassid> Mamluke >Ottoman technology copy.

I have examined the gunmark upon an Algerian weapon at this thread #176 and it is identical in form to the Michael Blalock item which in turn is similar to the weapon at # 1 on this thread. Though on reflection I think that one is Omani with odd out of area stamps; probably fake. They may be Red Sea hybrids but they are not Omani. I will repeat my comment that this does not mean that an Omani person did not own or use a variant transferred to an Omani long handle but that that type of sword is not of Oman. Rehilting does not automatically change the ethnographic origin of a sword if at all..

It is known that European Trade Blades flooded into Africa and many examples exist, however, no proof other than mention of European Trade Blades in Oman from various sources and publications (which I believe are entirely routinely plagiarisms of fact copied by authors and museums for the last 200 years)

This debate therefor runs into a conundrum. 18thC Omani Sayf; European Trade Blades; Fact or Fiction?

On Fact;
I find nothing to substantiate the theory that Oman imported European Trade Blades except in the reference books noted above and verbatum rolling out of same same theory from museums and others.

On Fiction;
1. No genuine European Sword Blade Marks have yet been found on any Omani Sayf viewed. Conversely many blades have local marks and or copies of Raj stamps. The odd weapon has a running woolf at Muscat Museum though it is fake.
2. No actual literature providing proof exists.
3. None of the visiting European dignatories mentioned in this thread and over the last two centuries have ever mentioned European Trade Blades when confronted by Omani Sayf... and the advisor to the Governor at Zanzibar from about 1900 though he mentions Omani Swordsmen and the dancing routine does not substantiate their origin. Surely he would have known?
4. No peripheral signs ~ The Red Sea variants are totally different; being thick, pointy and unflexible save for perhaps 5 degree bendability. Should we not expect to find Omani Swords littering the museums and souks in the Red Sea area? European Trade Blades are scattered all over Africa but Omani Sayf...nowhere else except Oman.
5. Local manufacture is proven in Ras Al Khaimah and Al Ain and likely to be substantial in Nizwa well known for smelting copper and well advanced in bellows useage for iron and steel items and agricultural tools. If they were making Sayf here why would they need imported weapons?
6. As a statement of pure conjecture I feel that a sword which had gained Iconic and virtual Heraldic symbolism up to about 200 years ago ~ and having been a system in place previously for 1000 years or more ~ for it to be suddenly replaced by a European Trade Blade makes no sense to me at all. Therefor I add that as a comment to the bewildering nature in this conundrum now at the core of research on the subject..

Pictured below are the Old Sayf, centre, with turned down quillons flanked by the new version in the 18thC format.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Note; It seems that there were actually 2 blades replacing the old Sayf : One in the 17th C (perhaps) and the other in the 18thC debated here. It seems that the 17th C blade(which I have not found an example of yet) was a thin variant of the old blade and was fitted to the old hilt. Whilst this may turn out to be myth I mention it as a note.

9th January 2012, 05:51 PM	#198
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Salaams all. As a note to Forum as an update I advise the following?; * The Straight Omani Sword is called Sayf. * The Curved Omani sword is called Kattara. The Omani Sayf has two parts to its life: 1. As an old Omani Battle Sword (Sayf) (affectionately known as Sayf Yamani) with turned down quillons pointed pommel short handle, stiff thick wing-like in "cross section blade construction" and pointed. This was a stab-slash-chop weapon, reigning supreme in Oman since arguably the mid 8thC AD (751)and in the Abbasid Style... until it was "apparently" superceded by a European Trade Blade in approximately the 18thC. A.D. Both systems used the Buckler Shield. Both are called Sayf. 2. As the 18thC European Trade Blade replacement weapon and retaining the Buckler Shield inherriting the name Sayf; The sword was very different from its fore runner and comprised of a Tang Pommel and Long Blade as "all in one" construction and very flexible... bending almost through 90 degrees from the point and spatula tipped on a very long handle. No quillons. This was a slash and snick weapon. It continues to be produced locally today. Vital to the understanding of the weapons history is the method by which it was passed down the generations through the Funoon an enacted pageant comprising life events; trade, farming, seafaring and war. The flexible sword introduced at 2 above fell into that category of parade and dance item required in the Funoon pageant whilst retaining a fighting style and mimiced as a kind of combat form in the funoon called Razha and Ayaalah.. or sword dance. An exponent must be able to move quickly and buzz the sword by various ingenious flicks of the wrist where the blade can be used almost like a whip and when used as a group creates a very menacing ritual. Important that a blade be flexible and not stiff. When selecting a sword the first thing an exponent looks for is the flexibility... Trying to make a stiff sword hum and buzz is impossible ... If its not flexible its not an Omani Sayf of approx. 18th C or after. Swords coming from the Egyptian Mamluke era down the Red Sea and influencing Saudia and Yemeni weapons look similar to Omani Sayf but as recorded in the Yemeni Military Museum by Michael Blalocks Arabian Swords #1 they are thick inflexible blades and pointed. Similar blades are at # 47 and # 81 of this thread. I believe that this is purely coincidental and in keeping with Abassid> Mamluke >Ottoman technology copy. I have examined the gunmark upon an Algerian weapon at this thread #176 and it is identical in form to the Michael Blalock item which in turn is similar to the weapon at # 1 on this thread. Though on reflection I think that one is Omani with odd out of area stamps; probably fake. They may be Red Sea hybrids but they are not Omani. I will repeat my comment that this does not mean that an Omani person did not own or use a variant transferred to an Omani long handle but that that type of sword is not of Oman. Rehilting does not automatically change the ethnographic origin of a sword if at all.. It is known that European Trade Blades flooded into Africa and many examples exist, however, no proof other than mention of European Trade Blades in Oman from various sources and publications (which I believe are entirely routinely plagiarisms of fact copied by authors and museums for the last 200 years) This debate therefor runs into a conundrum. 18thC Omani Sayf; European Trade Blades; Fact or Fiction? On Fact; I find nothing to substantiate the theory that Oman imported European Trade Blades except in the reference books noted above and verbatum rolling out of same same theory from museums and others. On Fiction; 1. No genuine European Sword Blade Marks have yet been found on any Omani Sayf viewed. Conversely many blades have local marks and or copies of Raj stamps. The odd weapon has a running woolf at Muscat Museum though it is fake. 2. No actual literature providing proof exists. 3. None of the visiting European dignatories mentioned in this thread and over the last two centuries have ever mentioned European Trade Blades when confronted by Omani Sayf... and the advisor to the Governor at Zanzibar from about 1900 though he mentions Omani Swordsmen and the dancing routine does not substantiate their origin. Surely he would have known? 4. No peripheral signs ~ The Red Sea variants are totally different; being thick, pointy and unflexible save for perhaps 5 degree bendability. Should we not expect to find Omani Swords littering the museums and souks in the Red Sea area? European Trade Blades are scattered all over Africa but Omani Sayf...nowhere else except Oman. 5. Local manufacture is proven in Ras Al Khaimah and Al Ain and likely to be substantial in Nizwa well known for smelting copper and well advanced in bellows useage for iron and steel items and agricultural tools. If they were making Sayf here why would they need imported weapons? 6. As a statement of pure conjecture I feel that a sword which had gained Iconic and virtual Heraldic symbolism up to about 200 years ago ~ and having been a system in place previously for 1000 years or more ~ for it to be suddenly replaced by a European Trade Blade makes no sense to me at all. Therefor I add that as a comment to the bewildering nature in this conundrum now at the core of research on the subject.. Pictured below are the Old Sayf, centre, with turned down quillons flanked by the new version in the 18thC format. Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi. Note; It seems that there were actually 2 blades replacing the old Sayf : One in the 17th C (perhaps) and the other in the 18thC debated here. It seems that the 17th C blade(which I have not found an example of yet) was a thin variant of the old blade and was fitted to the old hilt. Whilst this may turn out to be myth I mention it as a note. Attached Images Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 9th January 2012 at 07:36 PM. Reason: Text corrections.