The Omani Shamshiir.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by ariel

What is so specifically Omani in these swords? They look to me like classical Persian, with the Badawi or Indian-style pleated wire covering the langet. And a lot of bling-bling that is likely not ethnic, but status-related:-)

Salaams Ariel. Well the point is accepted except~ So far as I can see the blades are Persian/Hyderabadi and much of the Hilt. After that I can see hand tooled Omani leather and Omani silver/ gold design which you call bling-bling... but which is old Omani design...thus it is ethnic.

I think we are all aware how swords from one region overlap and play into the styles and form of another. Indeed weapon form flowed too and fro depending on which military power base was the strongest. One could also argue that the Shamshiir isn't Persian but originally from Damascus. Further that the Omani Battle Sword design was taken from The Abasiid and that the Omani Dancing Sayf was absorbed from the Red Sea and that the curved Omani Kattara is a long hilt on a European Trade Blade..Thus the Persian Shamshiir influence on this Regal sword is hardly surprising.

One thing is certain... The Omani (and in the past Zanzibari) ruling families have adopted this weapon mainly as a show of Regal authority as a supreme badge of office. As you say "status related" but certainly absorbed into the style; The Omani Shamshiir.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.