Wierd Aluminium Hilted Sabre. Any Info?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all ~ There are a lot of aluminium handled Nimcha in both Yemen and Oman. They seem to be melted down from old pots. The scabbard marks on the project item appear to be African Yemeni or even Omani. Melting pans is the sort of thing I imagine itinerant gypsy style groups wandering from village to village where they were involved in tinning and making tools etc. In Oman these tinkers were called Zutoot.

It should be remembered that, here, silver represents the Moon (Gold the Sun) and the cheaper lookalike variants were tin and aluminium and in the case of gold ~ brass. That is why marriage chests (dowry chests are studded with brass studs.To reflect evil.) In terms of the other silvery stuff ~ "liquid moon"~ Mercury ! That was until quite recently (pre circa 1970) often rubbed into babies gums to ward off evil ~

I think these aluminium hilts are ending up in a variety of places including souks like Muscat and Sanaa and being taken as basic swords though not perhaps as weapons... by Bedouin handy to have around as a sort of badge of office and for the occasional dancing pageants, weddings, feasts, meetings of leaders etc etc enacted all over Arabia. The blades are invariably very low quality.

Here's one similar below;

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[TVV]

Well done Ibrahiim, the example you posted is extremely close. Southern Arab Peninsula then, very interesting.

Regards,
Teodor

[A.alnakkas]

Very interesting Ibrahim. Though I would like to point out that the blade on mine is far from low quality, average at the least. Could it perhaps had a functional purpose aswell? the blade on mine is certainly made to be used and is forged, flexible and have been sharpened before. What about the durability of the hilt material? the hilt is pretty light and comfy.

[Edster]

Sorry, I don't have a photo of the Rashayda sword with me, and I'm away from where it is. Will try to get a shot of it within the next 10 days or so. Its very unremarkable.

Ed

[Jim McDougall]

Excellent example Ibrahiim!!!
I think this mention of Muscat and San'aa and this remarkably similar example returns to my original thoughts on the Bedouin sabres which have again somewhat similarly shaped hilts sans the knuckleguard. Interestingly there is a certain gestalt here which recalls the Ethiopian gurades in thier reflection of European military sabres with knuckleguard and particularly the large squared langets with rounded corners. I think this would fall well in place with the use of domestic product scrap metal in regions as mentioned by Colin and the occurrence of these kinds of swords in Kassala as described by Ed. All of these points of contact are within the Red Sea trade sphere.

[Martin Lubojacky]

Dear Ibrahim, Thank you very much for your matter-of-fact and wholesome remark !

Just for info/pleasure I enclose some other types of handles. Photo was made a few years ago in Sanaa.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Martin Lubojacky

Dear Ibrahim, Thank you very much for your matter-of-fact and wholesome remark !

Just for info/pleasure I enclose some other types of handles. Photo was made a few years ago in Sanaa.

Salaams Martin Lubojacky Yes I have seen your great collection before on another thread ... Saudia, Yemeni and Zanzibari Nimcha ! Very nice.

A.alnakkas Yes I agree the sword is multi functional and could be weilded in a fight but as I say ..."Perhaps" More likely as the badge of office and dance function. The blades are made rather roughly. No quality in my opinion...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Excellent example Ibrahiim!!!
I think this mention of Muscat and San'aa and this remarkably similar example returns to my original thoughts on the Bedouin sabres which have again somewhat similarly shaped hilts sans the knuckleguard. Interestingly there is a certain gestalt here which recalls the Ethiopian gurades in thier reflection of European military sabres with knuckleguard and particularly the large squared langets with rounded corners. I think this would fall well in place with the use of domestic product scrap metal in regions as mentioned by Colin and the occurrence of these kinds of swords in Kassala as described by Ed. All of these points of contact are within the Red Sea trade sphere.

Salaams Jim, Yes I think they are Bedouin by style though they are the cheap end of what has been a vanishing artefact style.. Whilst they could be used in a fight I think they are badge of office and dancing "props" used at functions, weddings, Eids etc... in part of a tradition going back centuries.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[A.alnakkas]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Jim, Yes I think they are Bedouin by style though they are the cheap end of what has been a vanishing artefact style.. Whilst they could be used in a fight I think they are badge of office and dancing "props" used at functions, weddings, Eids etc... in part of a tradition going back centuries.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Interesting. I always thought that the badge of office in Oman is the kattara, in Yemen its the jambiya and rarely swords. In KSA and other northern countries like Kuwait and Qatar it was always the badawi style saif. Do you know any specific tribe that uses these crude swords?