Abu Futila

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by rickystl

YES!! Thank you Ibrahiim for starting this Thread. Most interesting reading. One take away is that there still seems to be no firm confirmation as to the origins of the barrels on the abu futilla. It's simply amazing how long these guns continued in use by the locals.

Curious that there seems to be a number of barrel specimens that had burst. I wonder the reason(s) for this ? But I'm sure a whole new Thread could be started discussing the possibilities. LOL

Rick

It appears that the main reason for barrels bursting was the use of modern powder...In one case some children brought me a blown barrel that they had filled with Martini Henry ammo gunpowder and had thrown it into a fire as they ran off to hide behind a tree...It shattered the entire barrel and all that was left was a shredded cannon end at the the breach...

On barrel origins some are Persian and others Indian whilst there may be some of German make. There are slightly different ideas depending which author is making the point or where the point is being made from.... Some evidence indicates Ottoman when describing input to Arabia from Red Sea regions...and Elgood who makes more reliable assessments viewing the weapons via the Tareq Rajeb Museum collection ...most barrels I see are "blistered together lengths" type...stamped over the barrel in arabic... It is a very interesting question ...thank you.

I ran into some Jebali hunters in 1985 in Wadi Hina near Mirbat, North of Salalah and they had one ... They look early... 16th or 17th C.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Just parking a picture of the Omani gunpowder container shaped like a new moon ...slung around the back of the neck to enable dashing through the thorn bushes activity ... These days on a decorative silvered chain or stitched into a leather strap and before on a simpler leather strap. Actually worn as a decoration these days.
See also |http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=6081 for other accoutrements ..

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Reference;
A. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=19883
B. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=FUTILA
C. http://www.omanisilver.com/contents/...Matchlock.html
D. https://books.google.com.om/books?id...20guns&f=false


I add here the conjecture over the origin of the Omani Gun Barrels which I wrote before ..."I note how much of an Omani Item the abu futtila actually is...or isn't. The barrel which makes up about 90% of the object is usually either European or Persian but the woodwork is probably acacia (Thorn Tree) common in Oman. Perhaps the only other Omani item may be the wrap round skin which is said to be wolf skin but could be that or something similar...and carries something of a Talismanic effect ( Although I agree that it is a sensible protection against the butt being destroyed slowly by the burning gunpowder which would eventually weaken the butt)...as does the moon shape Talahiq not only in shape but using silver as the material with hints/highlights of gold (or brass it is the same effect) There is a strong thought that the Talahiq was largely Talismanic and not actually used as a powder flask but worn only as protection. To some extent that is reflected in the fact that early Talahiq had iron springs whilst later items were of silver... It is something worth examining perhaps at a later date..."

~ and to which I add that it could be that these barrels are Indian perhaps from Scinde. So I am looking at that problem as we speak...

Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

SOME ARTWORK TO REVIVE FORUM SPIRITS....AND ATTRACT A REPLY...

In some pictures the fire spoons are seen on the pan side of the butt whilst others I think correctly show them on the other side. The animal hide is probably Wolf...its skin not only Talismanic but preventing the Butt from disintegrating through being burnt all the time...

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Gun Stamps close up...