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Originally Posted by broadaxe
I believe similar techniques of fighting with buckler also existed in the Muslim world, well into the modern age, but quickly faded away. Last family of fight masters was in Lebanon up to the 1970's to my best knowledge, and the art called saif oo terse.
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Salaams Broadaxe ~ Interesting terminology for the Lebanese fight masters. Its essentially the same wording in Oman(including neighboring states like the UAE) where today the form is passed down through the Funoon which is an enacted music, poetry and dance pageant that goes back to the mid 8th Century. In the dance form there is included a number of sword performances including Terrs and Saif; firstly as a parade of swords or procession and secondly a mimic fighting contest between 2 swordsmen using the long flexible Omani Saif and the Buckler shield ..the Terrs. In this way the Funoon records and passes on the traditional fighting technique since it is performed throughout each year at festivals and Eid celebrations as well as in front of dignatories , National Day celebrations and weddings... so it gets a very regular airing. I imagine that since this form reached as far as the Mediteranean (Lebanon) that the likely link is there for its transmission into Europe via the Crusader movement etc.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.