It is safe to say that what shows up in souks (markets, like any markets around the world) is not evidence of local use. Though its really hard to pinpoint where these are from but if its from a land now encompassed by Saudi Arabia then it may offer evidence of a pre-badawi hilt type of sword? Imo Yemen is a more likely candidate as Ibrahim points out and some exist in the Yemeni museum, is it possible to contact them perhaps?
|