THE FLAMBOUYANT OMANI SAYF

[Jim McDougall]

This type of blade on swords is represented throughout myth and history, and has powerful symbolism imbued.
The 'flaming' blade was sometimes used on knightly swords and referred to as flamberge (from Fr. flambe= flame) or as flammard, with the type of undulating edge later used on the zweihander, the huge two hander swords.

While the flaming sword has history in Biblical tradition as the sword used to guard the Gates of Paradise, it also is known in Islamic tradition in that variations of the Sword of Mohammed, Du'l'Faqar, are often with serrated edges on their blades.

These undulating blades were known in European fencing and sword play matters to have dramatic oscillating or vibrating effect, so it seems reasonable, if not likely, that in swords used in the Funun, whose function required dramatic vibration, would be used.


It seems reasonable that such dramatic effect would have been implemented by Sa'id along with his attention to other weaponry and regalia in establishing the ligitimacy and power of his rule in Oman and Zanzibar.