The Omani Sayf. ( The Omani Straight Dancing Sword)

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by spiral

Namaste Ibrahim!

If you re.read the above quote , I think it is clear my reference came from Eggerton... I to do not have a copy of W.Thakstons translation of the work.{nor the original } Clearly Eggerton does.

On page 260 Hindu arms & Ritual... He states... "Jahingar in Tuzuk refers to a sword which "Flexed like a real Yemini or southern blade."

He references this from page.363 in Thackstons translation. {not the earlier translation work by which as you note is inaccurate by Beveridge..}

But if you allow me.....

linky

A bargain for you at less than $250.





mmm so despite not having read the work, & the fact the old Yemini world probably encompassed Oman, & the mention pre. dates your {changing.}concept of when flexible blades appeared in Oman . You still say there likely to be unrelated.... I personally suspect not!





Why Indeed... Your repley on the 16th of this month when I suggested you add it to your list was.



Which of course doesn't prevent it being a very lethal weapon. Still at least you added it in the end.




Ok so know Ive provided the information you requested from me.

Perhaps you would be kind enough to answer my question above & provide the text you mentioned that you still haven't shown.?






Please now do so. {that is to prevent confusion... post the quote that identifies your supposition & statement. from Ingrams work, re. "only dancing with straight blades."} So that we can help move this thread through to the next step together, in the search for the truth about these swords.

Spiral

Salaams all~ The question is posted requiring proof of H Ingrams the secretary to the Royal House in Zanzibar and an expert on the region just after the turn of the Century and probably in about 1910 for a book published a few years later in which he observes a dance in Zanzibar... quite specific ...in that only Omani dancers were involved..... In fact it is the Razha which as all Omani people recognise as being from the Genre of weapon dances from the Funun..which only uses straight Omani Swords of the flexible variety since its inception in about the early 1800s. That part of the Genre is called the Razha. Thus his stattement stands as correct...viz;

" The only performance or dance of the Arabs is the sword dance, RAZHA, accompanied by an orchestra of drums while the performers armed with swords and Jambiyya and small shields of rhinoceros hide indulge in mimic contests; leaping about and weilding their swords in a truly marvellous way".

Furthur references may be checked by working back from my post at #189.

In Reference to a note Jahingar in Tuzuk ostensibly quoted in Eggerton.
The statement that the old Yemeni world encompassed Oman is understandably niaive ...at the time of the book around 1600 which in itself, though, fascinating, no matter which copy you may have in front of you (but I have to say 250 us dollars seems a lot since it is a free download otherwise) it has rather the reputation of being vague in places and innacurate in others~ not least because of the nature of the work as a sort of Royal Travelogue...and the trophies gained thereon... and since there are many translations/hiccups along the way. Whilst it may well be essential reading for Indian arms and Armour and history it remains a very blurred, minor reference and not one penciled in my margin in this regard.

However taking that copy as gospel for what its worth the statement about Yemeni or southern blades is somewhat misleading...because it could have referred to a host of countries production including Sri Lanka. It may well have meant some Horn of Africa blade as that was called Yemen on ancient maps in that timeframe 1600... or even European blades. There is absolutely no factual intensity which underpins flexible blades coming from Oman at that time..None whatsoever!

I feel certain that the National Museum would have noticed..

Naturally we are all alert at the potential of Hadramauti blades..and not least because the old Omani Battle Sword is also known as the Sayf Yamaani...quite possibly a Hadramaut blade or from the ancient town of Izki (in Oman) which has a quarter called Yemen; I personally suspect Hadramaut for the Old Omani Battle Sword*, though, there is no connection apparent for the Dancing sword from a manufacturing viewpoint. See Zutoot.

*I remind readers that the Old Omani Battle Sword was very rigid. (See The Old Omani Battle Sword.)

Ibrahiim al Balooshi.