Abu Futila

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Here I place the pictures and endeavor to follow up with a comprehensive history ~

The Omani Abu Futilla...The one with the Match.

Sometimes referred to as the long leaf ...an old term for the spear favoured in Arabia..The Rumi...or Roomi. A weapon named after the Roman Spear.

Placed by the owner quite nicely so they are easy to admire and get ones hands on...

There is a good section on these on Omanisilver.com and incidentally Icoman consider that a lot of these barrels are in fact German.

Food for thought ...and your comments are requested.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Translating these pictures and adding the ethnographic atmosphere...Actually the tribal treatment on an Abu Futilla was to wrap wolf-skin around the Butt thereby adding talismanic effect to the weapon. Gunpowder was produced locally with a mixture of roasted wood from the Sodoms Apple bush and saltpeter. This highly toxic bush grows wild in Oman. Saltpeter was mined extensively along the Abu Dhabi coastline ..in the hills.

Incredibly little changed in the technology which typically once it was shown to work kept the Abu Futilla operational for centuries when other weapons were on the world stage and only really changed with the advent of the Martini Henry. They were still used up to the late 20th C for hunting.

[machinist]

Thanks for posting these, they look like you could take them down and shoot them with no problems.

[Jim McDougall]

Ibrahiim, these are fascinating guns!
Can you say more on the wrapping of the butt with wolf skin? These kinds of applications on ethnographic weapons are most interesting, and I am wondering more on the origins of such talismanic beliefs.
Thank you for posting these.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Ibrahiim, these are fascinating guns!
Can you say more on the wrapping of the butt with wolf skin? These kinds of applications on ethnographic weapons are most interesting, and I am wondering more on the origins of such talismanic beliefs.
Thank you for posting these.

Salaams Jim ~ I think it is by co incidence that wolf skin was used for this Talismanic powering up of the Abu Futilla but that when the running wolf appeared on swords it must have been to the delight of swordsmen .. Thus I suspect the wolf skin wrap in giving Talismanic credibility to the firer fitted in nicely with the tradition. The Arabian wolf is certainly feared and respected by the tribes people.

Some Bedu are superstitious, putting great stock in amulets and charms, lucky numbers (odd numbers are usually considered lucky), and spirits. Stones and designs in jewelry are believed to have magical qualities. Triangles, which represent hands, called khamsa , ward off the evil eye, as do blue stones such as turquoise or lapis lazuli; red stones will stop bleeding or reduce inflammation. Children, especially boys, are protected by charms hung around their necks or ankles and with ear studs containing what they believe are magical stones. Animals that prey on the Bedu's herds (such as wolves and wildcats) are considered the embodiment of evil, and in southern Arabia the camel is believed to be the direct descendant of the spirits of the desert. I have also read that the Butt was wrapped in animal skin to stop the Butt catching fire...I prefer the wolf talismanic form.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by machinist

Thanks for posting these, they look like you could take them down and shoot them with no problems.

I am sure that would be interesting ...As an expert you would probably not want to be holding such an old barrel when it went off; Please see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=OMANI+GUNS for some pictures of barrels that have parted company ... They tend to blow either at the first join or worse! at the breach. At the same reference are other items of abu futila equipment...etc Certainly well displayed and easy to handle ..

See the soddoms apple gunpowder plant in my garden ...below and a picture of the abu futilla being carried by Omani Slave Captain near Zanzibar.
Also on view are 3 powder flasks probably copied from the European style and 3 rare brass pre filled charges worn on a belt ..plus a few barrels.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Please see http://www.omanisilver.com/contents/...Matchlock.html for a reasonable background on the weapon.

See also https://books.google.com.om/books?id...chlock&f=false where Elgood discusses the more than likely appearance of Barrels other than European as well as from red sea sources as the pentagonal shape was preferred in Arabia.

The reference is further enhanced since Elgood worked and consulted on his fantastic book with the Tareq Rajeb Museum in Quwait which if you get the chance do go and see their amazing collections.

[rickystl]

Hi Ibrahiim.

Thank you for posting those two great looking Omani matchlocks. This also gave me the opportunity to re-read your earlier Threads. I find these guns interesting in so many ways. And, I'm probably not alone in finding the barrels the most interesting aspect. With all the decoration, chiseling, and relief work, I can't imagine how long it would take to complete one barrel. I too believe in the Persian heritage vs the German. Although I have seen photos of some of the early to mid 16th Century European matchlock barrels with similar work.

It seems the Omani barrels were made on mandrels, similar to the Indian Torador barrels. With the Omani barrels made in at least two sections. While the two barrels generally look different, they both have large outside diameter breeches and muzzles. I wonder if the interior bores of the Omani barrels follow a similar design of the Torador barrels ? Would be intereswting to know.

Rick