guardless nimcha

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All,

Please note that Buttin placed three magnificent charts of swords containing what we term Nimcha and other weapons of various geographical areas; African, Arab and Oriental. I place all three here for reference.

I assume Buttin had all the swords in front of him and photographed. I see that he notes the Zanzibar Ivory hilt with gold decoration as Oriental. What link does he mean with the inclusion of the axes and how does that relate with the Ottoman Yatagan weapons with the eared pommels? ...

He pictures presumably for comparison and suggestion of a linkage with Castane and other derivatives... suggesting a design link which I find fascinating... but no linkage to other Indian weapons such as Tulvar on the Quillon question...but so far as I can see no details on point of manufacture. Neither does he appear to make a hypothesis on the actual link between North African and Zanzibari styles which is the sign of a great researcher leaving perhaps a later student to accomplish that task... Note also the placement of the Omani Dancing swords and Terrs Shield in the Africa section understandably because of the Zanj/Zanzibar involvement of Said the Great...and perhaps since Burton also placed these as Zanzibari in his book; The Book of The Sword.

Your input is requested.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.