South Arabian spears

[A.alnakkas]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Great picture of the Yemeni Sheikh with a spear … Please see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17308

These are similar to Omani spears and Khanjar 1 is correct about rarity indeed there are so few I have only seen one which is in the Richardson and Dor.. see above reference .(The historical catalog of Omani Traditional artefacts ) It was the primary weapon before gunpowder but gradually became superseded although it passed on its name to the rifle weapon Rumi or Roomi or ar Rumh the Arabic word for spear which was probably taken from the word for Rome and likely to come directly from the Romans meant long pointed leaf and adopted for spear... which in turn was adopted for long gun.

Rumh رمح and Rum روم have nothing in common. Arabs do not call spears Rumi, not in the past and not in the present. Rumh, Shalfa and Gena are the names most commonly used through out the Arab world. And the name for spear did not get passed down to a fire arm. This is pure misinformation that has no linguistic or historic background. I advice forum moderates to nominate anyone who can speak and read Arabic to moderate such misinformation that somehow get passed out as facts.

On topic: Arab spears are an interesting topic, the most interesting part about them is that ones you'd find used by Arabs in Syria or Nejd or as far south as Yemen, would look nearly identical thus likely pointing to being sourced by majority from a single producing region. Blades vary, some I have shown in the forum with Qama blades. Some have good quality steel but most are iron, with a few rare ones with bronze spear heads fitted to an iron shaft.

Elgood mentions a production centre in Iraq and historically, AlTaif in alHassa is famed for producing a type of spears, with some reference going back to pre islamic times.

Lances too are also produced locally, with some confused for spear butts.