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Originally Posted by freebooter
Thank you Ibrahiim, this is as I thought you indicated. However, I do not agree that these are only dance swords. Yes, they were used in dance and in today’s circles are known as dance swords but this is not as a be all and end all to the sword.
This original untouched example I have presented has a very fine stout and non flexible fighting blade in it, certainly not a dance sword.
I would suggest your post in original TVV Kattara thread in post #6 is a correct way of viewing this sword, fighting, with a shield. I think the W. H. INGRAMS notation in post #18 of the same thread is not it's sole purpose but just a cultural observation of the time, one that has continued today as a matter of ceremony.
I know the chicken and the egg theory was discussed in the same thread about its presence in Africa where I suspect it too was used only for fighting as a trade legacy from the east.
The wonderful photos of Tipu with the same sword type, in my opinion supports these swords where a cultural fighting sword and proudly displayed as such.
The gaps in time from the period of early types with quillons you present through to the early 20th century is too great not to consider these as fighting swords even the flexible ones of old.
Regards
Gavin
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Salaams Gavin Last point first ~ The old ones werent flexible... what is notable about the massive gap in time is how a simple technology like a battle Sword stood the vast time test. I suggest that the flexible sword only arrived in about 1744 (the beginning of the al busaiid dynasty) and as a pageantry sword only. I don't altogether disagree with your assessment with some of the dodgey 19th century reports dotted about from authors like Burton etc but Ingrams was firmly planted... He spent years in Zanzibar and new his turf like the back of his hand and later went on to the Hadramaut and did sterling work. Of all the scholarly observers I believe he is one of the finest. He spent decades studying the situation not as a visitor but as a fixture and fitting..
I hope the new layout of each sword having its own thread works better..
Please look again at the Tipu Tip sword... Its a massive curved Kattara.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.