Kattara sword from Oman
 

Long sword 42" OAL -- 106 cm. Comments?

I will point out a peculiar way of closing the seam in the back of the scabbard utilizing tiny springs as a repair(?)

Possibly a trade blade. Looks east African (blade) Baldric belt. Grip has been restored.

Wire Stitching
 

Hi Bill ,

That's a fairly common stitch found on 19thC. Ottoman type scabbards .

Didn't know that. So, I am missing a few spring closures? Heh, heh! Ha ha (for our foreign friends)

The engravings seem finely done, on the scabbard throat. Does this also look 19th century?

Hi Bill

Late 19th century I think? Very nice piece congrats. :)



Lew

A very fine example outside of the hilt restoration, and even that is very nicely done. It is exceptionally nicely mounted and with such quality mounts more than likely the hilt was once wrapped in silver cord or something like it almost having the appearance of silver snake skin, as in the attached example.

CROSS REFERENCE:

See the Manding sword thread. I noted there the Omani influence that seems to have crossed the Sahara in the trade routes. These especially nice examples of the Omani 'kattara' , but my understanding is that 'baldric' mounts are rings on opposing sides of the scabbard throat rather than the standard double ring mounts as on these.

As Rick has noted, this central and spring type stitch on the scabbard is a pretty standard type seen on Ottoman 19th century mounts, I've seen them on the slotted scabbards for the deep parabolic blades on Ottoman shamshirs.

The blade is of typical Saharan form (note the 'dukari' or opposed crescent moons as typically seen on Tuareg takoubas), the central triple fuller system and rounded point which brings another key point, these blades are characteristally spatulate tipped (rounded, for slashing).

Again, I will point out that in my opinion these Omani kattara did enter the trade routes and carry influence accordingly.

Bit of an old post but thought of noting that this variant of the Omani straight sword is very rare. The silverwork is not Omani, likely done further North in Sharqiya (Saudi) for customers ranging from local to further North to Kuwait.

Great item, would love to see more of it.

I enjoyed seeing and reading the posts however, there is one small but important point to make here... The sword at #1 is not a Kitara ...Its a Sayf.


see http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread...Bunyoro+Kitara
...

Peter Hudson.