Omani Shamshir

TVV · 11th October 2022, 07:18 PM

Martin, everything on your beautiful sword suggests an Oman/East Africa coast origin (these were also quite popular in the Comoros based on surviving photos). Thank you for sharing the detailed pictures.

ASPaulding, congratulations on your classic Persian shamshir with a wootz blade. I do not have the expertise to tell you whether this is an 18th or 19th century blade, but it is undoubtedly a nice antique sword.

Teo

ariel · 31st October 2022, 03:39 AM

Teodor,
Marvelous collection!
I have only one comment: if you include Zanzibari swords because Zanzibar was governed by Oman, you may still need to add a Baluch shamshir for completion.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...uchistan+sword
Baluchistan belonged to Oman for a long time and was sold to Pakistan only in the 1950s.
I remember we had a long and detailed discussion about Baluch shamshirs, but I could not find it and had to show just mine.
Persian blade, "Indian" pommel with classical Baluch ring and silver wire wrapping of the upper languet ( regretfully, no Omani knot).

TVV · 31st October 2022, 07:48 PM

Thank you Ariel. My interest is in African Islamic Arms, and so my emphasis is on Zanzibar and the Comoros, with Omani weapons included based on the huge Omani influence in this part of the world at the time. There were Baluchi warriors in East Africa, who probably brought their weapons with them, but the hard question is always where does one draw the line trying to stay within a specific collecting theme.

A.alnakkas · 1st November 2022, 11:28 AM

Indeed the connection to Baluchi made swords is quite strong. I've come across at least 4 of Omani shamshirs with obvious Baluch editions. The same can be seen with Baluch daggers which were in use in Oman and thus, had Omani editions. I tried uploading photos directly to the forum with pieces that can show case the similarities and editions but it did not work.

Will email them to Teo.

TVV · 4th November 2022, 05:00 PM

Here are the pictures I received from Lotfi of some really nice and interesting Omani (and 1 Baluchi) shamshirs with outside influences. I will let him make his comments on them.

A.alnakkas · 4th November 2022, 05:56 PM

Thanks Teo,

Those two examples are interesting to me due to their unusual features such as the lockets which borrow from other styles. The first borrows from Arab swords usually found further north and one is closer to the usual baluch example.

Note that the sword photographed next to the baluch example has poorly made editions and its pommel was likely identical to the typical Omani examples.

ariel · 4th November 2022, 05:56 PM

Fabulous swords!
Agree 100% with your attribution.
I am not surprised by both Omani knot and "akrab" on the first one. After all, Oman is in South Arabia.

ariel · 4th November 2022, 06:03 PM

Baluch pommels do intrigue me. They are curved down, distinct from both Arabian, Persian and Indian shamshirs.
I look at them and a " camel head" comes to mind. And the ring is at the same place as a " dulla". Did they just modify Indian pommels?

4th November 2022, 05:00 PM	#5
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,619	Here are the pictures I received from Lotfi of some really nice and interesting Omani (and 1 Baluchi) shamshirs with outside influences. I will let him make his comments on them. Attached Images

11th October 2022, 07:18 PM	#1
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,619	Martin, everything on your beautiful sword suggests an Oman/East Africa coast origin (these were also quite popular in the Comoros based on surviving photos). Thank you for sharing the detailed pictures. ASPaulding, congratulations on your classic Persian shamshir with a wootz blade. I do not have the expertise to tell you whether this is an 18th or 19th century blade, but it is undoubtedly a nice antique sword. Teo

31st October 2022, 03:39 AM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Teodor, Marvelous collection! I have only one comment: if you include Zanzibari swords because Zanzibar was governed by Oman, you may still need to add a Baluch shamshir for completion. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...uchistan+sword Baluchistan belonged to Oman for a long time and was sold to Pakistan only in the 1950s. I remember we had a long and detailed discussion about Baluch shamshirs, but I could not find it and had to show just mine. Persian blade, "Indian" pommel with classical Baluch ring and silver wire wrapping of the upper languet ( regretfully, no Omani knot).

31st October 2022, 07:48 PM	#3
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,619	Thank you Ariel. My interest is in African Islamic Arms, and so my emphasis is on Zanzibar and the Comoros, with Omani weapons included based on the huge Omani influence in this part of the world at the time. There were Baluchi warriors in East Africa, who probably brought their weapons with them, but the hard question is always where does one draw the line trying to stay within a specific collecting theme.

1st November 2022, 11:28 AM	#4
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,340	Indeed the connection to Baluchi made swords is quite strong. I've come across at least 4 of Omani shamshirs with obvious Baluch editions. The same can be seen with Baluch daggers which were in use in Oman and thus, had Omani editions. I tried uploading photos directly to the forum with pieces that can show case the similarities and editions but it did not work. Will email them to Teo.

4th November 2022, 05:56 PM	#6
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,340	Thanks Teo, Those two examples are interesting to me due to their unusual features such as the lockets which borrow from other styles. The first borrows from Arab swords usually found further north and one is closer to the usual baluch example. Note that the sword photographed next to the baluch example has poorly made editions and its pommel was likely identical to the typical Omani examples.

4th November 2022, 06:03 PM	#8
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Baluch pommels do intrigue me. They are curved down, distinct from both Arabian, Persian and Indian shamshirs. I look at them and a " camel head" comes to mind. And the ring is at the same place as a " dulla". Did they just modify Indian pommels?