[ariel]

I just cannot imagine that any ethnic warrior would waste his resources on a separate, purely “dancing”, sword. Military dances were encountered all over Caucasus, among Zaporozhian and other Cossacks, Zeybeks et cet. All of them used their fighting weapons, and not some flimsy implements specifically manufactured for communal dances that occured only limited times per year. Fighting swords were pride and joy of any warrior and were not damaged as a result of a dance. I doubt very much that Tippu Tib would arrange special photosession to brag about his choreographic implement.

I also cannot agree that the absence of a crossguard disqualifies any sword as a battle implement: see not only flissas, but a multitude of Indonesian swords, Ottoman yataghans, Caucasian shashkas or Afghani and Central Asian pseudo-shashkas. BTW, curved saber-like kattaras are a newer variation, when Daghestani masters started exporting shashka blades to South Aravia: after suppression of Shamil’s rebellion by the Russian army the market shrunk precipitously and shashkas became a highly decorated expensive souvenirs fot Russian officers and just tourists. They also exported kindjal blades to India for expensive hunting knives. One had to feed the family:-(

Things must have changed when swords lost their fighting function and were replaced by cheap imitations. That is what we see now in Caucasian and Ukrainian/Cossack choreographic shows.