Khatt ar-raml/sand writing & blade marks?

Tim Simmons · 5th March 2007, 08:11 PM

Khatt ar-raml or "sand writing" an Islamic form of geomancy. Not just found in African but the use is strong in Islamic Africa.

While trying to find info on something altogether different. I started to read an essay by Louis Brenner in a Smithsonian Institute Publication- Insight and Artistry in African Divination, available from amazon. This system of divination is a series or pattern of dots thought to originate from stones thrown on to sand. Details of the actual and varied styles of systems used is not fully researched.

Dot patterns are seen on many Saharan blades and other Islamic weapons. These patterns are often shown in very schematic ways. Making me think there could well be more to these than meets the eye.

I cannot type out pages of this book but I will add just a glimpse of the hypothesis. I cannot see any reason why some system of dots are not put down in a talismanic way. Just remember Morse code. This would also have all that magic benifit to it as well.

RhysMichael · 5th March 2007, 11:15 PM

This is very interesting, the dot patterns are also seen on the scabbards of some aceh swords. I have though with those the pattern has talismantic meaning based on numerology

ariel · 6th March 2007, 12:21 AM

how very interesting!

spiral · 6th March 2007, 12:56 AM

Fascinating!

Tim Simmons · 6th March 2007, 07:16 AM

To me this seems to make good sense and a natural human response to imbue a potent object with good fortune, but who am I to say so. I will bet that nearly all of us could find a possible example and it will be on an Islamic object. It is possible that some marks were/are added as a matter of tradition and no longer active or understood by the makers, and so could also be corrupted in design.

5th March 2007, 08:11 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	Khatt ar-raml/sand writing & blade marks? Khatt ar-raml or "sand writing" an Islamic form of geomancy. Not just found in African but the use is strong in Islamic Africa. While trying to find info on something altogether different. I started to read an essay by Louis Brenner in a Smithsonian Institute Publication- Insight and Artistry in African Divination, available from amazon. This system of divination is a series or pattern of dots thought to originate from stones thrown on to sand. Details of the actual and varied styles of systems used is not fully researched. Dot patterns are seen on many Saharan blades and other Islamic weapons. These patterns are often shown in very schematic ways. Making me think there could well be more to these than meets the eye. I cannot type out pages of this book but I will add just a glimpse of the hypothesis. I cannot see any reason why some system of dots are not put down in a talismanic way. Just remember Morse code. This would also have all that magic benifit to it as well. Attached Images Last edited by Tim Simmons; 5th March 2007 at 08:22 PM.

5th March 2007, 11:15 PM	#2
RhysMichael Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 520	This is very interesting, the dot patterns are also seen on the scabbards of some aceh swords. I have though with those the pattern has talismantic meaning based on numerology

6th March 2007, 12:21 AM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	how very interesting!

6th March 2007, 12:56 AM	#4
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Fascinating!

6th March 2007, 07:16 AM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,806	To me this seems to make good sense and a natural human response to imbue a potent object with good fortune, but who am I to say so. I will bet that nearly all of us could find a possible example and it will be on an Islamic object. It is possible that some marks were/are added as a matter of tradition and no longer active or understood by the makers, and so could also be corrupted in design.