Is there a common link?

[ariel]

Several Arab swords clearly have a common ancestor, based on their common feature: multi-pronged, down-turned quillons: Moorish Jineta, old variant of Omani Kattara, Moroccan Nimcha and its Zanzibari cousin.
Here is something from Congo: remarkably similar.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150242761595&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=005
Are we talking a coincidence here or is there a link?

[RSWORD]

This form of African status sword is based on 16th century Portuguese swords and stems from Portuguese influence in the region in the 16th and 17th century. I have read somewhere that the Moroccan nimcha guard was based on early Italian swords of the 14th/15th century.