Indian scabbards

[Jens Nordlunde]

Richard,
How are 'my' cows doing in this weather?
I think whenever the leather was in a bad shape, due to much rain, heat or whatever, it would be replaces and a new loop added.
I find the 'fish tail' interesting. Why a 'fish tail'? Did it attach better to the scabbard when it was glued - or was there another reason? Fish did have a spacial meaning to many Indians.
To be quite honest. I believe the loop would go before the scabbard was worn. A sudden atack and you have to pull the sword fast - the loop is a gonner.
The sword belonging to the second scabbard I show, has a long straight double edged blade, and there is no way it would fall out of the scabbard, but maybe if it rattled in the scabbard it would be a bad omen.

Fernando,
It is very interesting what you show, and I do think you have a point.
Did the Arabs have the same sayings about when a sword rattels in a scabbard it is a bad omen - and stuff like that?

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

Fernando,
It is very interesting what you show, and I do think you have a point.
Did the Arabs have the same sayings about when a sword rattels in a scabbard it is a bad omen - and stuff like that?

Oh Jens, i wouldn't know ... but i would like to.

[Jens Nordlunde]

Fernando,
Someone on this forum might know - hopefully.
Jens

[fernando]

On the other hand Jens, some known authors suggest that Saif scabbards of silver fine decoration would be made in Hyderabad for the Yemen market. Could we have here a relation in practicing the 'loop locking' system ?
I have added a couple suggestive examples in the SAIF THREAD.

[Jens Nordlunde]

Fernando,
With the pictures shown, I would say these 'straps', or whetever you will call them, must have been used for the same purpouse as the Indian 'loop'.
Your comment about where some of the scabbards were made is very interesting, as I have never heard about this before.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

...Your comment about where some of the scabbards were made is very interesting, as I have never heard about this before....

Well, this was also news to me, until i have submitted the (my)Saif thread where, by courtesy of Teodor (TVV), i have learnt that Elgood, weaving various considerations on subject in his book, goes on to referencing a photograph of a certain warrior from the Aden protectorate with such a sword, and then states that many warriors from Southern Yemen served as mercenaries in Hyderabad and "the swords are certainly made there and locally", there meaning Hyderabad. According to Elgood the motifs on the scabbard are Indian in style, not Yemeni.
...And that Robert Hales, not so expansive as Elgood, besides showing a photo of the Sultan of Lahej and his retinue and three similar swords in their scabbards, simply notes that the design and workmanship resembles jewelry from Hyderabad and points to strong historic links between Yemen and India.
I have also read that F. L. Schwarzlose, when discussing the type of swords available to the Arabs of Arabia, concludes that they themselves preferred Indian blades to blades produced elsewhere. He also points to the fact that this trade in swords was in existence from very early times and subsequent research has confirmed this. Indeed, a strong case can be made that the early Islamic conquests were made by Arabs predominantely armed with Indian swords, the Prophet himself owning a Hindi sword. At the battle of Yamama (12AH/633AD) the Muslim's opponents were armed with Indian swords ...


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[Jens Nordlunde]

Fernando,
Yes India had a lot of trade with cpuntries to the east and to the west - even BC.
Interesting picture you show. In the lower row, the second man from left - does he have a tulwar?