Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Atlantia · 17th February 2013, 11:27 AM

Namaste Ibrahiim,

Obviously the 'Shamshir' was a supremely influential weapon and certainly travelled widely.
If we just look at it's influence on European military officers swords loosely termed 'Mameluke', there are all stages of variation from actual unmodified shamshir and Kilij through imported remounted blades and of course the (majority) European swords simply made in the 'Mameluke' style (Ie; loosely emulating Shamshir).

So, when we look at your two examples they do seem to have been "lightly Omanicised". But are you saying that there are also 100% Omani made versions of these swords? (Say pre WW2?)
Because if so that would indeed be an interesting and distinct local 'version'.

I had to smile when I read "Inevitably the grand masters in Persia or Hyderabad were involved in making these swords" (The ones shown).
I found myself imagining a picture of the laundry room in the Titanic, full to the brim with Egyptian cotton sheets, towels, pillowcases and napkins and claiming that the Titanic was a Egyptian ship even though some Irish shipbuilders were inevitably involved in making her.

Teasing aside

These locally dressed swords are interesting and clearly as has been pointed out would have been instantly recognisable (worldwide) as a fashionable cross-cultural status symbol which clearly survived as such in certain circles in Oman into the modern period.
You could fill a fair sized thread with pictures of all manner of the great and the good carrying Shamshir and Kilij in the 19th century.

However, from what I can see of the two above, I'd call them 'Lightly Omanicised Shamshir'

Regards
Gene

17th February 2013, 11:27 AM	#8
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	Namaste Ibrahiim, Obviously the 'Shamshir' was a supremely influential weapon and certainly travelled widely. If we just look at it's influence on European military officers swords loosely termed 'Mameluke', there are all stages of variation from actual unmodified shamshir and Kilij through imported remounted blades and of course the (majority) European swords simply made in the 'Mameluke' style (Ie; loosely emulating Shamshir). So, when we look at your two examples they do seem to have been "lightly Omanicised". But are you saying that there are also 100% Omani made versions of these swords? (Say pre WW2?) Because if so that would indeed be an interesting and distinct local 'version'. I had to smile when I read "Inevitably the grand masters in Persia or Hyderabad were involved in making these swords" (The ones shown). I found myself imagining a picture of the laundry room in the Titanic, full to the brim with Egyptian cotton sheets, towels, pillowcases and napkins and claiming that the Titanic was a Egyptian ship even though some Irish shipbuilders were inevitably involved in making her. Teasing aside These locally dressed swords are interesting and clearly as has been pointed out would have been instantly recognisable (worldwide) as a fashionable cross-cultural status symbol which clearly survived as such in certain circles in Oman into the modern period. You could fill a fair sized thread with pictures of all manner of the great and the good carrying Shamshir and Kilij in the 19th century. However, from what I can see of the two above, I'd call them 'Lightly Omanicised Shamshir' Regards Gene Last edited by Atlantia; 17th February 2013 at 12:47 PM.