Zanzibari (?) Saif for Comment

[kahnjar1]

The second lot of pics posted by Teodor also IMHO show a later addition of a guard to an original hilt. Whilst the decoration on the knuckle guard and quillons is similar in both cases, the actual guard itself would, in my opinion not be much use in protecting the users hand due to the thin metal used.
Though obviously not the "original" guard, none the less the maker has spent some time to nicely decorate his work.
Maybe we could term this a "tribal" sword. I have a number of these which show grades of making, ranging from quite good to really rough.
Stu

[Jim McDougall]

I think 'tribal' as good a term as any. In more recent times it seems swords were put together from old components for no better reason than the notion of military fashioned groups wearing them in a traditional sense.
The swords from Yemen were simply ersatz weapons for such wear during the many insurgencies there in the civil wars etc. Rank and file did not always have firearms so any weapon would do.

Also, in a 'parade' context, a large showing of 'forces' wearing swords in ceremonial or other elaborate events would be most impressive. However, these weapons despite using sound old blades, were not serviceable as far as combat weapons.
Think of a contingent of mounted forces in some colonial region riding in review and all wearing swords which look good, but close inspection not so much.

Ethnographic weapons likely have a good many weapons of traditional forms put together in more recent times in these kinds of capacities.

[TVV]

We really know very little about these swords. For other arms and armor, we have period artwork, provenance examples in collections, archeological finds, fencing manuals and of course, multiple articles and books on the subject. Not the case when it comes to these swords from Eastern Africa.

Elgood does not illustrate them, as his book does not expand to the Arab colonies along Eastern Africa. Spring does not even mention the weapons of Zanzibar and the other Arab trading posts, as his book is focused on pure African forms only and not on any he considers to be introduced from outside. Hales has some very nice examples and an interesting picture from the Comoros, where this hilt style was also popular well into the 19th century. And of course, we have Buttin's plates. There are occasional museum exhibit catalogues where a few of these swords are shown and invariably ascribed to the Maghreb in error.

I believe the hilt form evolved over the years. To me, Stu's sword looks like it belongs to a much older style from the 18th century or even earlier, when contact with the Portuguese influenced the complex guard shape with its D-ring. As we can see on the ivory hilted status symbol examples, the D-ring is gone, replaced by 3 quillons. It is possible that at some point during the 19th century, some less elaborate, more munitions grade examples had simplified guards.

As for the sword hand protection issue, I am not sure it was as important to the wearers of these swords during the 19th century as we are making it out to be. We know that with the ascent of Oman in the region, the other popular sword style was that of what we refer to as kattara, as can be seen on pictures of Tippu Tip and other prominent people from the Swahili coast in the late19th century. Of course, the kattara has no guard whatsoever. I guess the locals felt that blocking with a buckler was sufficient, or hand protection for the sword hand may not have been deemed crucial in an era where firearms were taking over as the primary weapon.

I guess, all we can do at this point is simply keep collecting photos and keep collecting examples of various quality and style until we start putting the puzzle together little by little. Of course, all of this is skewed by the prevalence of higher end examples: munitions grade items were far more likely to be discarded once functionally obsolete as there was very little incentive to keep them. The same applies to photos as most of the ones we have are staged portraits of notables and their families.

It is not easy, but learning is part of the fun.

[Jim McDougall]

Teodor,
Wonderfully thought out and well written synopsis on these sword conundrums!! You have hit perfectly on the dilemmas of trying to adequately study and classify these examples, and I completely agree in the hopes that we can keep the discussion going here.

As you well put it, not easy, but a lot of fun learning here together

Thank you,
Jim

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

See http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=NIMCHA where the three charts of Buttin clearly show weapons of different areas but no mention on the charts of Nimcha. They all illustrate what we consider as Nimcha but the charts are by no means clear... There are however many examples and possibly many years work to exactly untangle all the details though there are weapons from both areas Morocco and Zanzibar which have D Rings and from both areas weapons without... The D ring is thus not a deciding variable...though in both areas there may be influence from Portugal or close by in the addition of D rings... To deepen the problem Buttin places a third chart netting in other weapons in the Indian Ocean and also Sri Lankan Kastane...etc. The huge number of "Nimcha" styles makes the study of this form well adorned with examples so we actually do know a lot about them although there is much to be clarified... Buttin has placed it all in front of us but I fear we have not seen the wood for the trees

Comparing Omani weapons with these swords is decidedly unstable since they are unrelated to the Omani Dancer. I cannot agree that the Omani flexible dancer is in any way or form related to a curved bladed Knuckle Guarded item...designed for fighting whilst the Omani dancer is certainly not despite its Terrs and Sayf mock battle contest..There is some suggestion in one Buttin Chart that a Omani Shamshir form may be related although I prefer to look at The Persian Shamshir for that link through the Baluch style already discussed. It may however be linked...Buttin shows several distinctly maritime cutlass blade types on Nimcha forms...probably imported from Europe...moreover his fine work opens up more research potential than it answers making this one of the great conundrums we have yet to crack.

If only they could talk !!

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[TVV]

Ibrahim, I am afraid that I am among many here that do not share your belief that the conical hilt Omani saifs were not battle swords. Here is a photo of German trophies from the Arab uprising in 1888. It is interesting in that apart from the daggers, there is a variety of swords: to the left you can clearly see an Omani saif, and there is also a Zanzibari hilted sword, along with a saif from the Hadramaut and finally, there also appears to be a shamshir, but it is hard to see. Tippu Tip's famous photo also has him wearing an Omani saif.

Teodor

[Jim McDougall]

Heres the thing, it is difficult to say that a certain form of sword was or was not ever used in combat, as in times of war or insurgence many implements and otherwise unexpectedly chosen arms become ersatz weaponry.

In groupings of weapons gathered as trophies after conflicts and battles, any weapon whether used in the interaction or simply taken as booty from various sources are lumped together and assumed actually used. Naturally the embellishment displaying these trophies portrays them all as 'taken in battle'. I cannot even recount the number of weapons researched that have proven them far from the stories attached to them.

The confusion between these conical hilted swords with good solid European blades, and those which have been fitted with much lighter blades intended specifically for parade and ceremonial events has become almost legion. These swords were worn as status symbols by Omanis in their Zanzibari sphere and these were indeed fitted with heavier European blades, in many cases well into the 20th century.
These examples could easily be presumed to have been used in combat, but the lighter 'dance' versions most certainly and emphatically were not.
The presence of these swords among gatherings of booty does not prove they were blooded weapons. It was much the same in Sudan after those campaigns....the numbers of kaskaras 'taken in battle' would prove that countless thousands of Ansar were vanquished in that campaign. It was the souvenier industry which produced these 'trophies' .

Burton (1884), wrote after his time in Zanzibar some years before regarding the conical swords of Omani's there, "...the usual shape carried by the Arab gentlemen, is three feet to three and a half feet long, the long tang tapers toward the hilt, and is cased in wood and leather. The pommel is cylindrical and the grip wants guard and quillons. Demmin (1877, p.396) finds it difficult to understand how this singular weapon could be wielded.
IT SERVES MOSTLY FOR SHOW, and when wanted is used like a quarterstaff with both hands. But the Zanzibaris sword is always clumsy, as dangerous to the wielder as the old blade of the Gauls and ancient Britons".
Fig, 183b, p.166.

Could one of these have been used in combat....of course, if overrun or attacked, who wouldn't use whatever they had. These accoutrements, just as any court sword or parade sword might be used as a defensive weapon in the moment. But, made and intended for use in warfare, probably not.
Swords were secondary weapons in that respect, subordinate to firearms, and as such were shorter, as hangers, and most likely sabres.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by TVV

Ibrahim, I am afraid that I am among many here that do not share your belief that the conical hilt Omani saifs were not battle swords. Here is a photo of German trophies from the Arab uprising in 1888. It is interesting in that apart from the daggers, there is a variety of swords: to the left you can clearly see an Omani saif, and there is also a Zanzibari hilted sword, along with a saif from the Hadramaut and finally, there also appears to be a shamshir, but it is hard to see. Tippu Tip's famous photo also has him wearing an Omani saif.

Teodor

What is present in your excellent exhibit are some weapons and a dancing sword...It should be noted that even as late as about 1955 tribals turned up to a fight (The Buraimi Oasis Confrontation) with several weapons Martini Henry swords khanjars spears...but one of them was a non weapon. The Dancing sword; which was primarily for pageant...parading past the ruler...buzzing in the air ...and for the mock fight which was a single point competition where exponents tried to touch the opponents thumb(on the shield hand) with the flat spatulate sword tip. Other occasions are both Eid celebrations and weddings and occasions that VIP are present. Normally these swords were cheaply produced for the masses however, horses for courses, some were quite ornate displaying a certain wealth and position of the owner. The sword used in combat was primarily the Old Omani Battle Sword or Sayf Yamaani that became so famous it was given an Iconographic hilt identical to the Hilt on the Royal Khanjar. The dancer was graced with both edges razor sharp which was a spin off from the Sayf Yamaani..as was the rounded tip...and the Terrs Shield...but with a very thin flexible blade which could bend double unlike the Sayf Yamaani which was stiff...and used for hacking.

The main point is that the features of the Battle Sword or Sayf Yamaani were deliberately included in the design of the dancing sword but that its role was as a pageantry sword carried by soldiers, tribal infantry and civilians alike but only for pageants...many of which are currently played out in a traditional dance form called The Funoon.

Tippu Tip had many swords...mainly the dancing variety. He was massively wealthy being virtually governor of most of Central Africa where he was supreme merchant of slavery and Ivory.