Beduin "pseudoshashka"

motan · 26th January 2017, 10:26 AM

Faux suede? Seriously? Yes you should remove it, but I wouldn't know what to replace it with and the wood underneath is probably ugly. I suspect that the original cover was not brilliant either. The minimal solution would be to rearrange it so that is does not cover the brass. Still a very nice sword..

Jim McDougall · 26th January 2017, 08:08 PM

A fascinating example Ariel!
Also quite unusual in my view with my limited exposure to these, however what I recognize most is the character of the hilt in form, which seems pretty consistent with these.

What I might add, it seems like this scabbard and in degree perhaps the decoration en suite on the hilt, might relate to the distinctive sa'if forms of Hadhra'maut. Elgood shows these in "Arms and Armour of Arabia" with highly embossed or worked silver sheeting with a long chape sleeve extending far up the scabbard, and there is metal banding spaced over a red velveteen backing. With these however there is a receiver in the scabbard throat for the langet, of course absent on these Bedouin sabres.

Is it possible that this distinct style of motif from Hadhramaut and perhaps Yemeni regions with high relief sheeted metal and the banding over velveteen might have been replicated by a Bedouin influenced by these designs?

As Ariel notes, these Palestinian/Sinai Bedouin sabres were usually quite simple ergonomic weapons, which indeed have virtually always been in use in the constant volatility in remote tribal regions.

26th January 2017, 10:26 AM	#1
motan Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Jerusalem Posts: 274	Faux suede Faux suede? Seriously? Yes you should remove it, but I wouldn't know what to replace it with and the wood underneath is probably ugly. I suspect that the original cover was not brilliant either. The minimal solution would be to rearrange it so that is does not cover the brass. Still a very nice sword..

26th January 2017, 08:08 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,189	A fascinating example Ariel! Also quite unusual in my view with my limited exposure to these, however what I recognize most is the character of the hilt in form, which seems pretty consistent with these. What I might add, it seems like this scabbard and in degree perhaps the decoration en suite on the hilt, might relate to the distinctive sa'if forms of Hadhra'maut. Elgood shows these in "Arms and Armour of Arabia" with highly embossed or worked silver sheeting with a long chape sleeve extending far up the scabbard, and there is metal banding spaced over a red velveteen backing. With these however there is a receiver in the scabbard throat for the langet, of course absent on these Bedouin sabres. Is it possible that this distinct style of motif from Hadhramaut and perhaps Yemeni regions with high relief sheeted metal and the banding over velveteen might have been replicated by a Bedouin influenced by these designs? As Ariel notes, these Palestinian/Sinai Bedouin sabres were usually quite simple ergonomic weapons, which indeed have virtually always been in use in the constant volatility in remote tribal regions.