Kattara for comments

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all, Note for Library SEARCH

Omani straight SAYF Dancing swords in Buraimi Souk today. The Yemeni shop owner pulls swords in the northern region from Mussandam and also other links from the Yemen/Saudia. I have posted a couple of pictures on Souks of Oman of some daggers etc

This Sayf is laminated and fully flexible through 90 degree bend. The decoration is flat wire stitching and the leather work is Northern ( Shimaliyya) The floral scrolls same however could reflect interior Omani work (Daakiliyyah). The blade is a little short by an inch or two ...but typical to type. Rigged to hang on a low baldric though in practise carried at the shoulder.

An exact date on the introduction of this dancing item buzzed in the air and sometimes thrown and caught in the historical enactment in the Funoon.. Although it is razor sharp and accompanied by a battle shield(terrs)in aspects of the traditional Razha dance pageant is not technically a fighting weapon moreover it is a celebratory accessory at weddings national day celebrations and the two Eid celebrations annually. It is engrained in Omans traditions.

It is assumed that the weapon arrived in the 18th C and clearly there is a link in the scabbard and hilt design style with its cousin the curved Kattara which appears to be a hybrid and appearing at about the same time. Pinpointing the arrival dates is an ongoing research project.

The origin of species of the Straight SAYF is also under scrutiny as there are links in style and shape to Red Sea variants apparently related to Yemeni/ Saudia weapons with historical notes supporting Ottoman, Mamluke, Abbasid and Greek roots. The peculiar fact is that a non weapon celebration sword has been designed from a fighting weapon and given a rehilting re scabbarding of Omani styling... though previous hilts of this precise nature are unknown(though there are some parallels with a Saudia / Yemen cousin noted earlier) the scabbard style is the same as the straight Old Battle Sword also called a Sayf whos origin of species points to 751 AD.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.