The Omani Battle Sword. Sayf Yamaani.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All. I have just received a superb Omani Battle Sword(AKA SAYF YAMAANI) into my personal collection. This is an interesting mark. It has 10 geometric grooves around the pommel and the hilt is actually 8 sided though it looks round it's not. The top hole of the hilt has a small pin for holding a wrist cord. Originally the hilt would have been wound with leather and the wooden core scabbard also leather bound. Two small holes in the crossguard would have been decorated with small silver buttons. All of this restoration work is now being drawn up.

For the update on detail on this and other Omani Swords see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10455 in particular regarding the Sayf Yamaani Swords vital statistics and comparisons please check posts 160 312 and 314.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Notes; So vital is the post at 312 of my reference that I include it here verbatum (but with an additional note on the 8 sided hilt at the end*) for ease of perusal.


Re-Comparison of Abbasid sword and Sayf Yamaani The old Omani Battle Sword ... Ammended as below:


The Topkapi museum holds the key. The Abbasid 9th Century Sword in their collection viz; http://users.stlcc.edu/mfuller/turk/TopkapiArms2.html
is compared to the Omani Short Battle Sword (Sayf Yamaani)as follows;

1. Both are early two edged Islamic Arab Battle Swords.
2. Both blades have an integral tang with an added pommel or cap.
3. Both have three holes in the handle which is similarly constructed with rivets. The top hole apparently for a wrist strap.
4. Both weapons have quillons.
5. Both blades are wing shaped in cross section, thinning toward the tip.
6. Both blades culminate in a round/spatulate tip.
7. Both blades (though not all examples of the Omani sword) have the golden dot or dots on the blade. The dot in Islamic geometry is an important centre of the universe construct.
8. Both hilts are topped with a cap in the case of the Abbasid and an Islamic arch pommel culminating in a short spike on the Omani.
9. Neither blade has risers nor fullers though in much later blades fullers may appear.
10. Both blades are stiff and generally only slightly flexible.
11. Both handles are octagonal in cross section *
12. If the rounded tip concept is accepted; the style of fighting must have been "chop and slash" in both cases.

Since the Abassid were in Oman with garrisons suppressing the Ibadi religious movement, thus, in direct conflict with the organisation led by the Omani Ibn Julanda (First Immam) in 751 a.d. It is therefor additionally evidenced by the 12 factors above that their battle sword was designed from the Abassid weapon and slightly changed to reflect a heraldic hilt or modified to the Omani design. It was called Sayf Yamaani though precise location of manufacture is still being sought; Yemen(Hadramaut), Nizwa or elsewhere in Oman being likely contenders.
* The octagonal shape is a take off from the 8 sided Minaret structure of Abbasid Mosques and commonly seen in Islamic geometric expression in their art form.

[Al Shamal]

Mabrook!

[ariel]

I really love them. They are so archaic, functional, with nary an embellishment. Truly fighting sword with battlefield being its home. I can hardly imagine one of those hanging on the wall, although I did see examples with silver-clad handles. But even those were austerely brutal.

I have one only, and have shown it here already. Now I need to find another mis-identified one for $100 with no watchers:-)

[TribalBlades]

The blade looks similar to the Touareg Takouba (as on the vikingsword website logo above).

maybe it is the way of the desert dwelling nomads.

[colin henshaw]

A fine sword. Congratulations !

[Michael Blalock]

Very nice sword Ibrahiim

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all ~ This is indeed an awesome battle sword. I have, however only ever seen one proper looking stamp or rather inscription which I believe has a date and the makers name but I cannot decipher..Possibly Nizwa.

I have just completed a restoration of a couple of hilts (leather work) and the placement of scabbards with swords that had none... lost in time....The leather work is as per the Battle Sword Example at the TRM in Quwait and various examples in Muscat museums. The leather is occasionally dyed either black or brown. The pattern typically geometric. This is a multi phase restoration with the remaining phase to include silver mounts and possible silver floral work to the 2 holes in the crossguard... small silver studs. There may be added quite extensive silver to the throat and toe. Over the last few centuries and certainly since the 1744 takeover of the dynasty now ruling this sword has become iconic and even has a silver hilt like the Royal Khanjar.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All ~ Just to bring the thread up to speed with the pairing up of the Terrs Shield (a Buckler form) and a Royal Hilt. The sword shown is the same sword restored above at left on final picture etc
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams Note to Library; A largely pictorial note is logged in here to patch in the varieties of like type swords identified as far back as Abassiid through the Mamluke and Ottoman transfer of technology and via the Abasiids directly to the Omani style during their battles in the 8th C.ad...

The long metalic hilt is being pondered as of January 2013 as linked with the development of the Omani long hilt Sayfs and Kattaras possibly late 18th C. either accidentally or deliberately linked to the formation of the Al busaiid dynasty and / or with the slave trade link.

The Omani Battle Sword is being viewed as linked to the Abassiid in either its dis similar hilt form (photo 3 below) or the long hilt in the Istanbul Military Museum likely to also be Mamluke and Abbasiid.

Where the Wallace Sword fits is also open to conjecture.... it is dated about 1790.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.