Yemeni sword

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Michael Blalock

When we got this sword in Taiz in 1963 we were told it was Turkish. That is what I thought until I discussed it with Oriental-Arms back in 2002. Artzi told me he had seen others of these swords come from Yemen.
The Ottoman turks held Yemen from the 1870's till 1918 when the last Pasha left. The repousse work on the hilts looks similar to Turkish work so it is not a big stretch to speculate that there were Turkish swordsmiths that came to Yemen with the army and may have trained local artisans to copy their techniques. These sword could have been produced in Yemen for the Turks as a souvenir or made for local use by Yemeni's at weddings or even for sale in Aden. There is a tradition of renting swords for Yemeni weddings.
I know the Turkish styles had a big impact on the Jewish jewelers who developed styles to sell to the Turks and visitors to Aden.

In 1963 there were still Yemenis who had grown up under Ottoman rule, so the original attribution that the sword is Turkish is very plausible. Some Turks stayed in the Imams administration until 1962. Taiz and it's nearby port of Mocha was one of the more stable areas for the Turks and close to trade with Aden, the Omani coast and East Africa. I think it is credible that these swords were made in Yemen with Turkish influence that was incorporated onto the readily available blades found throughout Southern Arabia and East Africa at the time.

Salaams Michael Blalock ~I see nothing wrong with your assumption and indeed I thought there could be Jewish influence on the style. I do however tend toward the already laid down description of the Central Asian type (though personally I suspect the blade form may even be Algerian). At least it is not of the Omani flexible straight dancer format of The Omani Sayf.

Here I reprint the excellent reference description from Oliver Pinchot

Quote"A RARE CENTRAL ASIAN BROADSWORD
A quite similar example depicted in the ninth-century fresco of a mounted Samanid ruler at Nishapur allows attribution of the form. The distinctive guardless hilt silvered or gilt, with an expanded ferrule and cylindrical grip, embossed and engraved overall with vinework, the bud-form pommel spirally fluted. The exceptionally long, straight, double-edged blade with evidence of wootz forging, a short central fuller to either side and a polygonal maker’s mark inscribed, WORK OF HASSAN [?] struck twice on either side. In its wooden scabbard with velvet covering, the locket and chape embossed and engraved en suite with the hilt, the suspension bands with openwork decoration. Beginning of the 19th century. Light wear, small area of pitting to blade. Very rarely encountered, probably a coronation sword.Overall length 101.3 cm. Condition I, Unquote"

It may well be such that this weapon although apparently a late comer to the sword world may have no brief and deliberate label moreover the design and style could be a mixed hybrid taking variations on a theme from various quarters and even as you say with the craftsmanship of the Jewish artisan and reflections of red sea blades in the ensuing mixture...It certainly makes for a very interesting conundrum...and a great thread !! Which is what the world of Ethnographic research is all about...no?

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Michael Blalock]

Ibrahiim, I agree that these don't look exactly like any other hilt in Arabia, though one could argue that they are not too far from the Omani "battle sword" when it is fully dressed and the scabbards have very similar hardware. The photos I have posted above include every one of these swords I have seen. The one from Oriental-Arms may be the same as the one from Sotheby's. If not, out of seven swords, three that I know were definitely found in Yemen and the Oriental-Arms sword is described as Yemeni. That's four out of seven. As we say in the US. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.
Is there any record of this style of hilt to be found anywhere else in the world besides a sword collection? If anyone has any other photos I would love to see them.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Michael Blalock

Ibrahiim, I agree that these don't look exactly like any other hilt in Arabia, though one could argue that they are not too far from the Omani "battle sword" when it is fully dressed and the scabbards have very similar hardware. The photos I have posted above include every one of these swords I have seen. The one from Oriental-Arms may be the same as the one from Sotheby's. If not, out of seven swords, three that I know were definitely found in Yemen and the Oriental-Arms sword is described as Yemeni. That's four out of seven. As we say in the US. If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.
Is there any record of this style of hilt to be found anywhere else in the world besides a sword collection? If anyone has any other photos I would love to see them.

Salaams Michael, Again I would not disagree with the suggestion of linkage..and in fact I point in support of that to your own detail posted on Yemeni/Omani Swords at Forum where you note the potential link

Quote" "Mir-i-Arab Madrasa (1535) The Mir-i-Arab madrassah with the mosque Bukhara's main kosh ensemble. Under the left dome are buried Ubaydullah Khan (one of the first Bukharan royal not to have his own mausoleum) and Sheikh Mir-i-Arab after whom the madrasa is named. He is variously described as an architect, a Yemeni merchant, and "spiritual mentor of the early Sheibanids".Unquote.

I agree also that the two styles look similar in basic make up but that on the one hand the Bukhara appears as much later whereas the Omani Battle Sword is ancient. I recall at a Forum a picture I cant find...I think you posted a photo from Sanaa museum with Mamluke variants of not too distant style to the Bukhara...and not to confuse the issue it should be noted that the Mamluke link goes back through time and holds hands with the Abbasiid with whom I connect the design to the original Omani Battle Sword a very long time ago...but that is another story...

In conclusion I think this is a very interesting thread with a variety of outcomes though I stand somewhat with one foot in the Bukhara camp and the other in the Yemeni ... This is, however, no ordinary Duck.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Michael Blalock]

Here is another, attributed to Yemen, to add to the list.

[motan]

This is not a learned comment, just an observation. If the pommel shape is indeed an architectural reference, which I tend to agree with, then it is more likely a reference to the monumental Timorid architecture of places like Samarkand, Tashkent and Buchara than to Yemeni mosques.

[Jim McDougall]

Very good observation made by Motan, and we have discussed many times through the years the significance of architectural form and elements in the styling of the hilts of edged weapons. I recall Ibrahiim several years ago in studying the Omani sayf and kitara hilts observing the similarity in the pommels to minarets.

In considering the apparent preponderance of these distinctly 'cuffed' hilt sayfs in Yemen, and well supported as such by Michael Blalock in many years of research, collecting and observation, I would note the case for Yemeni Mosques with regard to the pommels of these swords.

In "Minaret Building and Apprenticeship in Yemen" (Trevor Marchand, 2013, p.189) ....two prevalent types of domes to cap traditional San'aa minarets, a smooth surfaced dome which may be SPHERICAL, or slightly bulbous like those of the city's Great Mosque (built 9th c AD, restored 13th c) or fluted like that of Masjid al Abhar (1374-75AD) or al Madrasah Mosque (built first half 16th c).

It seems that years ago we were reviewing silver clad swords with these kinds of pommels, mounted in San'aa with clearly Ethiopian blades, which apparently had come in through ports from Red Sea trade. It was held that the rhino horn from these swords was highly sought for khanjhars' hilts.

I would note that in those researches studying Arab swords from Hadhramaut, it was notable seeing the gadrooned decoration on the scabbards of silver repousse hilts and mounts. This style curiously is also seen on a number of swords from Bukhara 19th c. It would seem this same
affectation extended from Hadhramaut to Yemen of course, and perhaps the diplomatic and trade contacts between the Emirate of Bukhara and Yemen might account for this cross influence.

Returning to the hilt features, it seems the minaret domes described have somewhat compelling similarity to the pommels on these distinctive swords.
The ribbed (or fluted) style does not seem exclusively Bukharen, but it is of course noted that contact between Yemen and Bukhara may reflect the degree of influence considered, and apparently quite present in Yemen independently.

[Michael Blalock]

Low and behold, here is another one from the same source. It just popped up in my email. From Yemen as well.