Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 20th August 2008, 05:14 AM

The shape of these hilts with symmetrical pommel and crossguard are of the form that are shown in Burton's "Book of the Sword" (1884, p.166) and referred to as 'Zanzibar' swords. Apparantly that reference was taken from an earlier work by Demmin in France, and Charles Buttin (Rummilly, 1933) cites this error, noting that these short swords were actually s'boula from Morocco.

Mr. Buttin lived in Morocco for many years, and was of course well acquainted with the weaponry there, showing several examples of these in his collection published in 1933.

These swords do indeed appear through trade route locations as far as Zanzibar, and are minimally included in groupings of weapons of Ethiopia, often carrying Amharic inscriptions. These are believed to be versions of these type weapons fashioned by the Falashas, tribal armourers for the Amharic rulers.

This example listed laughably as a Persian short sword tulwar

is clearly NOT 600 or 700 years old! and a munitions grade interpretation of these 19th century Moroccan swords that appears crudely refurbished 20th century work.

20th August 2008, 05:14 AM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,800	The shape of these hilts with symmetrical pommel and crossguard are of the form that are shown in Burton's "Book of the Sword" (1884, p.166) and referred to as 'Zanzibar' swords. Apparantly that reference was taken from an earlier work by Demmin in France, and Charles Buttin (Rummilly, 1933) cites this error, noting that these short swords were actually s'boula from Morocco. Mr. Buttin lived in Morocco for many years, and was of course well acquainted with the weaponry there, showing several examples of these in his collection published in 1933. These swords do indeed appear through trade route locations as far as Zanzibar, and are minimally included in groupings of weapons of Ethiopia, often carrying Amharic inscriptions. These are believed to be versions of these type weapons fashioned by the Falashas, tribal armourers for the Amharic rulers. This example listed laughably as a Persian short sword tulwar is clearly NOT 600 or 700 years old! and a munitions grade interpretation of these 19th century Moroccan swords that appears crudely refurbished 20th century work.