On the Origins of the so-called Berber Sabres

[ariel]

Never thought to see this thread resurrected :-)))

Jut as an afterthought to my remark from 2013(!!!), see post #53: blades do travel.

Here is my nimcha ( or saif for the purists), typical North African work, but the blade is marked "Nueva Granada 1845". Nueva Granada is, AFAIK, Colombia/Panama these days:-)

Was the blade made there and transported to Spanish Sahara?

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Masich

Here are two more examples of probable Spanish Colonial swords with notched horn grips and "shell" guards. One appears to be a horseman's saber with a curved, full length blade bearing the familiar "No me saques sin razon" inscription and panoply with floral flourish. The other has a heavier, shorter more cutlass-like blade.
The shell guards should, it seems to me, really be classified as a Peacock motif. The uniqueness of this design, when combined with the distinctive notched grip, may well be a clue to the origin of these swords.
Pierce Chamberlain told me the "No me saques..." sword pictured here is likely from Mexico but agreed that it exhibits Caribbean influence--but that, of course, covers a pretty broad area.The Brazilian connection (attributed to the peacock motif guard on the previously-posted sword seen on the gray background) is intriguing. Has anyone discovered more attributed specimens of this style? Are there any additional theories on the provenance of these enigmatic pieces?

Andy Masich

Andy, when did you talk with Pierce??

[Masich]

I last spoke to Pierce about a month ago. He and Sid Brinckerhoff hired me as a curator at the Arizona Historical Society more than 30 years ago. Though I've moved far from the Southwest, I still love Spanish colonial and Mexican history.
I am eager to learn more about these distinctive "Brazilian" swords, though I agree with you that this attribution may be too restrictive for a form that may be more appropriately called Caribbean.
Any further thoughts on the Peacock connection?

Andy Masich

[machinist]

Perhaps it may be based on an Ocellated Turkey native to the Yucatan region rather than a Peacock, the eyes on the feather seem similar to the decorations of the shell guard.

[Masich]

Originally Posted by machinist

Perhaps it may be based on an Ocellated Turkey native to the Yucatan region rather than a Peacock, the eyes on the feather seem similar to the decorations of the shell guard.

This is a brilliant supposition! Surely you are correct--the guards all have two rows of "eyes" neatly arranged within the fan-like striations. Others, including me, who saw peacocks were all "fowled up." I'm going to start looking at Yucatan native and folk traditions.
Andy Masich
PS It makes me wonder if any of these guards may have been painted when new--can you imagine staring down a blade with all those eyes looking back at you?
PPS These turkeys in my backyard inspired me to write the peacock post in this thread in the first place--I didn't realize that these birds (or their Yucatan cousins) might have actually been the original inspiration for these sword guards.

[Masich]

Originally Posted by machinist

Perhaps it may be based on an Ocellated Turkey native to the Yucatan region rather than a Peacock, the eyes on the feather seem similar to the decorations of the shell guard.

I may be going off half "cocked" on a wild turkey chase, but if this hypothesis is correct, it could be historically significant. The ocellated turkey lives only in a 130,000 km2 (50,000 sq mi) range in the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico—which includes all or part the states of Quintana Roo, Campeche, Yucatán, Tabasco, and Chiapas—as well as the northern parts of Belize and Guatemala. This may have been the point of origin for this guard design. The grip my have North African roots with a Spanish connection to the New World. It's also still possible that the Portuguese brought the form with captive Africans to Brazil and the general sword form may have spread from there northward to Central America, where the shell guard morphed into the turkey form seen on the guards posted.
It interesting that the Spanish were impressed with the ocellated turkeys that the natives had domesticated for their feathers for nearly 1,000 years and, later, for meat. So taken with the birds, the conquistadores exported breeding pairs back to Europe.

Andy Masich

[machinist]

It would be nice to think a piece of this puzzle is close to solved, but the answer may be for awhile "it's complicated".
The Caribbean that produced these was a rich mix indeed. I guess it is time to look at the picture collections again and hope to see a turkeys wattle or snood

[Jim McDougall]

After spending quite a bit of time rereading this thread, which clearly represents some of the most fascinating discussions we have had here through the years, it is tremendously exciting to have it revived after several years by this innovative suggestion by Andy.

It is a most astute observation and suggestion that the shell guard hilt of these apparently Central and South American swords may well be representing the peacock, or as remarkably well noted by Machinist, the Yucatan turkey. These observations present a unique opportunity to potentially assign this apparent anomaly in the widely known 'shell' type motif on guards to a specific region.
In the study of ethnographic weapons, the presence of distinct representation of something key to a region as with these birds, which is a most compelling suggestion and well worthy of more research !

The example shown by Andy is distinct in having the decorative features related to the 'eyes' in the 'plumage' as well as the head nestled against the 'plumage' and more avian appearance. It seems the other example shown earlier in this discussion has the appendage which stylistically resembles a 'head' in the same position, but not with the other 'plumage' features.
Perhaps this might be a stylized or figurative rendition of what we hope might have been a locally embellished form from Yucatan and environs.

We know that these 'shells' as guards on this type of espada from Central and South American regions typically are of the simpler striated scallop shell style, much as have existed in variation in Spanish swords from earlier times. I personally believe that the Brazilian example with the cypher of Pedro II, r, 1831-1889, is likely to have been 'from' these shell types rather than a Brazilian form inspiring them.
The key thing with the Brazilian attribution is attributing these to the more southern regions of Spain's American colonies. The hanger type espada ancha was of course established to the north and frontier regions of America's Southwest.

I hope we mighty continue looking into the compelling avian character of this unique hilt as posted by Andy, and perhaps more support for the adoption of the shell style into possibly peacock or turkey plumage as well as the embellishment using the bird head.

Thank you again Andy for posting this and the remarkably compelling suggestion!!!

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All, I find it most compelling with the attribution of Peacock feather decoration in the hilt....The note that Kabyl Berber involvement in Mexico is further fascinating.. and overall that the sword ( possibly derived from Iberian style) and its derivatives sketch a web of involvement wrapped around Spanish global activity from the Manila Galleons and grasping at Zanzibar and Moroccan/Algerian styles. The fact that Spanish ships also entered and exited the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope as well as via the Atlantic Acapulco Filipies run shows how diverse the designs of regional styles became... not to mention a similar sword on the waist of a captain of the Trained Bands of London pictured in Islamic arms and Armour by the late Antony North. (Tobias Blose; Captain.)

This is a very revealing thread !!

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Rick]

Agree, it's nice to see this thread resurface.

What has always puzzled me is the purpose of re-profiling the point of some of these blades into a sort of clipper ship bow shape.
What would be the function of this configuration?

Maybe I missed that from the previous posts.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Rick

Agree, it's nice to see this thread resurface.

What has always puzzled me is the purpose of re-profiling the point of some of these blades into a sort of clipper ship bow shape.
What would be the function of this configuration?

Maybe I missed that from the previous posts.

This is a good question which appears to have the answer built around its apparent ability at cutting ships ropes...whilst retaining some degree of thrust ability by retaining the stiffened tip... a lethal combination. What is also puzzling is that the hilt seems to have migrated across many trade routes...Spanish?... but the blade changes...in some cases long despite its misnomer Nimcha (half blade in Baluch)...in some cases short but in no cases to my knowledge do we see this clipped bow shape tip in the Indian Ocean styles...
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

After spending quite a bit of time rereading this thread, which clearly represents some of the most fascinating discussions we have had here through the years, it is tremendously exciting to have it revived after several years by this innovative suggestion by Andy.

It is a most astute observation and suggestion that the shell guard hilt of these apparently Central and South American swords may well be representing the peacock, or as remarkably well noted by Machinist, the Yucatan turkey. These observations present a unique opportunity to potentially assign this apparent anomaly in the widely known 'shell' type motif on guards to a specific region.
In the study of ethnographic weapons, the presence of distinct representation of something key to a region as with these birds, which is a most compelling suggestion and well worthy of more research !

The example shown by Andy is distinct in having the decorative features related to the 'eyes' in the 'plumage' as well as the head nestled against the 'plumage' and more avian appearance. It seems the other example shown earlier in this discussion has the appendage which stylistically resembles a 'head' in the same position, but not with the other 'plumage' features.
Perhaps this might be a stylized or figurative rendition of what we hope might have been a locally embellished form from Yucatan and environs.

We know that these 'shells' as guards on this type of espada from Central and South American regions typically are of the simpler striated scallop shell style, much as have existed in variation in Spanish swords from earlier times. I personally believe that the Brazilian example with the cypher of Pedro II, r, 1831-1889, is likely to have been 'from' these shell types rather than a Brazilian form inspiring them.
The key thing with the Brazilian attribution is attributing these to the more southern regions of Spain's American colonies. The hanger type espada ancha was of course established to the north and frontier regions of America's Southwest.

I hope we mighty continue looking into the compelling avian character of this unique hilt as posted by Andy, and perhaps more support for the adoption of the shell style into possibly peacock or turkey plumage as well as the embellishment using the bird head.

Thank you again Andy for posting this and the remarkably compelling suggestion!!!

Salaams Jim, Thank you for your remarks ... This must be a sword type with the widest and most diverse of all the swords ... I note the -potential Iberian link in this weapon and how it has morphed across the globe following centuries of Spanish trade, exploration and war. I note with interest how a peacock design could well be responsible for the cruder form shown in South American types from earlier Spanish form as you note..and discovered an even more compelling design on Espadas Ropera...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All, With a number of threads with related themes I have chosen this one as the more focussed on the subject of these weapons to launch a querry on the links between form...between Moroccan and Zanzibari and indeed between the style that sems to have developed in the Americas particularly around the Caribbean carried there by war and trade not least between Spain and the Philipines via Accupulco etc...
My first observation is combined with a quite early time scale... That of the trained bands of London; ...A sword on the waist of Captain Tobias Blosse in the mid 1600 s clearly of the hilt style Moroccan. Showing also a photo of the Moroccan Style. Both pictures from the late Antony Norths "Islamic Arms and Armour"

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams All..I have a few pictures to add ...Mahomet Abogli Moroccan ambassador to King George in 1725...with the traditional Moroccan Sword... and a court painting illustrating similar weapons in the period..I post here for interest the Butin chart of the Zanzibar region ...

So what, how, why, when, was the linkup??

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[machinist]

First of all an apology, the pic I submitted as a Yucatan ocellated turkey is a photoshop of a North American turkey, the real ocellated turkey still has a appearance that could influence these shell guards (see pic below) but I should have been more diligent in my research. I have sent Andy a PM since he seems interested on the subject.

Now the good news, I found a "Berber sword" at the local gunshow, the sheath is as good as you will find with the stitching tight, no splits in the leather and some decorative dye remaining. The blade is like many of these, a re-purposed wide fullered blade with a cusped tip. the point is more extreme than any I have seen. It seems rather fragile.

The handle is held together with copper rivets and heavily decorated with brass, some unidentifiable gray metal and two pieces that look like German silver. The gray metal looks like epoxy or plastic but I scratched a small area with a pinpoint and it is silvery metal underneath.

There are the initials BF as well as what looks like a B on the other side. One of the Berber sabers on the sold section of Artzi's website has a set of initials similarly placed (JR) which brings up the likelihood of Roman letters being used on the handle of a north African sword.

I find the difference between the measured and calm decoration of the scabbard and the crazy hodge-podge of the handle striking, I wonder if these were owner modified.

[machinist]

More pics

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by machinist

Now the good news, I found a "Berber sword" at the local gunshow

There are the initials BF as well as what looks like a B on the other side. One of the Berber sabers on the sold section of Artzi's website has a set of initials similarly placed (JR) which brings up the likelihood of Roman letters being used on the handle of a north African sword.

Congratulation your sword is absolutly gorgeous!!

I read a lot of pages on this forum on the so-called Berber swords, Spanish and Central America...
I think the Berber swords are Berbers point.
The similarity with Spanish colonial swords is obvious, the Western Sahara was a Spanish colonial territory.
Your sword is likely from this area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Sahara

About the Roman letters, they are not incommon in North Africa and countries colonized by Europeans. I have seen a lot on Algerian Moukhala. They were all from the very late 19th c. or early 20th c.
I will place your sword in this range, even if the blade is maybe earlier.

Best,
Kubur

[Jim McDougall]

Rick......I think we're goin' SHAVER KOOL on this one!!!!

Seriously, it is wonderful to see these amazing threads stay alive, and constantly updated with new examples and information!!!

Machinist, thank you so much for staying with the research, and please keep us apprised of Andy's responses on this topic......those curious hilts most definitely deserve continued research.

This example you just got is a beauty! and I agree with Kubur, the nature of the decoration surely does suggest Moroccan character.

What is most curious on these 'Berber' sabres is that they are actually machete type swords which seem to be from Central American regions. The preponderance of examples characteristically are from Spanish colonial areas, often in tropical Mexico, as well as Cuba, Central America, and perhaps parts of South America (though not aware yet of actual provenance or examples).
As Tirri has noted, many of these ended up in Spanish colonies in the early 20th century during insurgences and other dynamic events. This is probably how we have arrived at the 'Berber' sabre appellation.

One feature often present on these, as well as the shell guard examples is the almost common presence of British blades on them, most often of the M1796 light cavalry pattern, and reprofiled on the 'Berber' types.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Rick......I think we're goin' SHAVER KOOL on this one!!!!

Seriously, it is wonderful to see these amazing threads stay alive, and constantly updated with new examples and information!!!

Machinist, thank you so much for staying with the research, and please keep us apprised of Andy's responses on this topic......those curious hilts most definitely deserve continued research.

This example you just got is a beauty! and I agree with Kubur, the nature of the decoration surely does suggest Moroccan character.

What is most curious on these 'Berber' sabres is that they are actually machete type swords which seem to be from Central American regions. The preponderance of examples characteristically are from Spanish colonial areas, often in tropical Mexico, as well as Cuba, Central America, and perhaps parts of South America (though not aware yet of actual provenance or examples).
As Tirri has noted, many of these ended up in Spanish colonies in the early 20th century during insurgences and other dynamic events. This is probably how we have arrived at the 'Berber' sabre appellation.

One feature often present on these, as well as the shell guard examples is the almost common presence of British blades on them, most often of the M1796 light cavalry pattern, and reprofiled on the 'Berber' types.

Salaams Jim, As noted previously; It is curious how there are linkages on these weapons to the Turkey...in the hilt and it seems to me in the curved at right angles, base of the scabbard... Is that not a beak? In addition I note (.) What could be a moon with dot between motif seen on many hilts of this type perhaps taken from the Turkey plumage? see #64

Regarding the Hilt, Is this the original Nimcha hilt or did the Nimcha hilt predate this?

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

What is the relationship in the 90 degree bend in the scabbard to Ethiopian style? at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21715

[Jim McDougall]

Ibrahiim,
You have astutely keyed in on a number of elements in these various loosely connected forms. These so called 'Berber' sabres are actually believed to be reprofiled British blades and these open, guardless hilts with an aperture which seems like a birds eye that were apparently machete type weapons. These were seemingly from tropical regions in the 'Spanish Main', which includes Central America and the Gulf littoral of Mexico.

The notable nock in the hilt seems to post date the Arabian sa'if which became known in the Maghreb as the 'nimcha' with that very feature.
This nock for the back of the hand, little finger is found in these 'Berber' sabres, as well as the curious swords from Cuba (termed Guanabacoa) which have these as well as finger stalls in the grip.
The espada ancha forms from South America (Brazil ) and other with the striated shell guards also have these nocks for the hand,
and their diffusion reflects the diffusion of these influences throughout Spanish colonial regions.

The occurrence of the 'Berber' sabres in Morocco was due to volunteers into those Spanish controlled areas in early 20th c. in civil disruptions.
The fact that these are absent from the very thorough works of Charles Buttin, who lived often, as did his family in Morocco, suggests they were not a known indigenous form in these or earlier times. He was an avid researcher and cataloguer of ethnographic weapons, whose works we often rely on.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Ibrahiim,
You have astutely keyed in on a number of elements in these various loosely connected forms. These so called 'Berber' sabres are actually believed to be reprofiled British blades and these open, guardless hilts with an aperture which seems like a birds eye that were apparently machete type weapons. These were seemingly from tropical regions in the 'Spanish Main', which includes Central America and the Gulf littoral of Mexico.

The notable nock in the hilt seems to post date the Arabian sa'if which became known in the Maghreb as the 'nimcha' with that very feature.
This nock for the back of the hand, little finger is found in these 'Berber' sabres, as well as the curious swords from Cuba (termed Guanabacoa) which have these as well as finger stalls in the grip.
The espada ancha forms from South America (Brazil ) and other with the striated shell guards also have these nocks for the hand,
and their diffusion reflects the diffusion of these influences throughout Spanish colonial regions.

The occurrence of the 'Berber' sabres in Morocco was due to volunteers into those Spanish controlled areas in early 20th c. in civil disruptions.
The fact that these are absent from the very thorough works of Charles Buttin, who lived often, as did his family in Morocco, suggests they were not a known indigenous form in these or earlier times. He was an avid researcher and cataloguer of ethnographic weapons, whose works we often rely on.

Thanks Jim.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Ibrahiim,
You have astutely keyed in on a number of elements in these various loosely connected forms. These so called 'Berber' sabres are actually believed to be reprofiled British blades and these open, guardless hilts with an aperture which seems like a birds eye that were apparently machete type weapons. These were seemingly from tropical regions in the 'Spanish Main', which includes Central America and the Gulf littoral of Mexico.

The notable nock in the hilt seems to post date the Arabian sa'if which became known in the Maghreb as the 'nimcha' with that very feature.
This nock for the back of the hand, little finger is found in these 'Berber' sabres, as well as the curious swords from Cuba (termed Guanabacoa) which have these as well as finger stalls in the grip.
The espada ancha forms from South America (Brazil ) and other with the striated shell guards also have these nocks for the hand,
and their diffusion reflects the diffusion of these influences throughout Spanish colonial regions.

The occurrence of the 'Berber' sabres in Morocco was due to volunteers into those Spanish controlled areas in early 20th c. in civil disruptions.
The fact that these are absent from the very thorough works of Charles Buttin, who lived often, as did his family in Morocco, suggests they were not a known indigenous form in these or earlier times. He was an avid researcher and cataloguer of ethnographic weapons, whose works we often rely on.

Salaams Jim, My previous reply above was far too short ...apologies as everything that could fall off my car fell off!! thus I have been away for as few days sticking things back on!!... It is remarkable that Buttin did not record these swords and of course clearly they weren't in Morocco...I wondered about the beak shaped African scabbards at #75 and how they traversed to that form?
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

It further puzzles me generally with this weapon in its clipped tip form and in viewing the final post at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4679 that this could be inverted?... In fact the first post at the same thread places this form firmly in the Dominican theatre... Below a Guanabacoa on orange backdrop...and an example of the clipped tip apparently inverted...

[carlos]

I only want to help in this post with 3 pictures from spanish army museum in Toledo.
Thanks
Carlos

[Ian]

I have been a silent observer of this thread for a long time. But it seems that Carlos' post lays to rest, definitively, the Spanish colonial origins of these swords, with their first appearance in Central America and later transposition to western Africa. This has all been said before in other posts here, but Carlos' finding of an excellent exemplar in the Toledo museum seems to be the icing on the cake.

Unlike the notorious "Shaver Cool" thread which went on forever, this one seems to have reached a clear and unambiguous conclusion. The use of British M1796 light cavalry saber blades on some of these is an interesting finding, and may reflect a surplus supply of these that was repurposed for the Spanish colonies. A Prussian version of the same sword ("Blucher-sabel"--Prussian cavalry M1811) might have been the source for some of these when that model was superseded in 1858.*

Ian.

------------

Reference

* Deller R and Binck J. The Prussian Model 1811 Cavalry Sabre (or "Blücher Sabre"). Classic Arms and Militaria, vol. 8, no. 4, July/August 2001. Accessible online here

[TVV]

Carlos,

Thank you for posting a much better picture of the Toledo sword than what I was able to do a couple of years ago in post 56 of this thread. It may take some time, but I hope eventually these swords will start to be properly attributed to the Caribbean and not to the Maghreb.

Teodor

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by TVV

Carlos,

Thank you for posting a much better picture of the Toledo sword than what I was able to do a couple of years ago in post 56 of this thread. It may take some time, but I hope eventually these swords will start to be properly attributed to the Caribbean and not to the Maghreb.

Teodor

We can only hope Teodor!!!
I first got one of these 'Berber' sabres back in 1995, before they were very known, and in a few years they gradually appeared.
I also got one of the guanabacoa which was claimed to have come from Monterrey Mexico.
These finger stalled guanabacoa had turned up in a well known dealers catalog as 'Algerian' pirate swords I saw later, which seemed a bizarre attribution. I later began seeing them in other catalogs with Mexican sword groupings. In a London auction catalog, a silver mounted one was listed as a Mexican sword. The article written by Calvo describes them as Cuban, as noted by our Mexican friend Gonzalo, who has not written here in many years.

Over these past 21 years, remarkable numbers of these weapons have appeared, most of them either from Mexico or Central American contexts. Pierce Chamberlain advised me around 2001 of some of these in a catalog which were provenance to Spanish American war bring backs.

In Tirri (2004) were the examples of the 'Berber' type sabres which were associated with volunteers or some such groups in early 20th century Spanish colonies. This was the only established reference I know of which suggested North African attribution of these.

I join with Ian in thanking Carlos for the most telling photos of the sword grouping in Toledo, and Teodor I still remember your entries from those years ago.

Ibrahiim, that curious scabbard with the vertical 'beak' or whatever it is was long confounding to me as well, on the 'Berber' sabres......now known to be Central American, Spanish colonial machetes or such form swords.
A similar type fixture is seen on Ethiopian shotels in "African Arms and Armour" by Christopher Spring, and that became a kind of red herring often wondering what the Ethiopian/Berber connection was.

It has been suggested that these are a kind of 'handle' to withdraw the machete from the usually leather mount scabbards, possibly more difficult in moist tropical climes ?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

We can only hope Teodor!!!
I first got one of these 'Berber' sabres back in 1995, before they were very known, and in a few years they gradually appeared.
I also got one of the guanabacoa which was claimed to have come from Monterrey Mexico.
These finger stalled guanabacoa had turned up in a well known dealers catalog as 'Algerian' pirate swords I saw later, which seemed a bizarre attribution. I later began seeing them in other catalogs with Mexican sword groupings. In a London auction catalog, a silver mounted one was listed as a Mexican sword. The article written by Calvo describes them as Cuban, as noted by our Mexican friend Gonzalo, who has not written here in many years.

Over these past 21 years, remarkable numbers of these weapons have appeared, most of them either from Mexico or Central American contexts. Pierce Chamberlain advised me around 2001 of some of these in a catalog which were provenance to Spanish American war bring backs.

In Tirri (2004) were the examples of the 'Berber' type sabres which were associated with volunteers or some such groups in early 20th century Spanish colonies. This was the only established reference I know of which suggested North African attribution of these.

I join with Ian in thanking Carlos for the most telling photos of the sword grouping in Toledo, and Teodor I still remember your entries from those years ago.

Ibrahiim, that curious scabbard with the vertical 'beak' or whatever it is was long confounding to me as well, on the 'Berber' sabres......now known to be Central American, Spanish colonial machetes or such form swords.
A similar type fixture is seen on Ethiopian shotels in "African Arms and Armour" by Christopher Spring, and that became a kind of red herring often wondering what the Ethiopian/Berber connection was.

It has been suggested that these are a kind of 'handle' to withdraw the machete from the usually leather mount scabbards, possibly more difficult in moist tropical climes ?

Thank you Jim, In particular about the strange 90 degree turn at the end of the scabbard. In some examples I see it as a beak?... At first I associated it with the Turkey design... In this thread http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21715 please see the non beak version leading me to think it was either to steady the weapon when on horseback or to use that as a way of pulling the sword. In this case it appears to be Ethiopian ... and in a previous note I saw your attribution of the weapon traversing African supply/religious/ tribal routes thus perhaps it influenced North African or slave routes direct to the Atlantic slave trade stations and beyond.