Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - The Manding sword, the Tuareg aljuinar and Omani curved kattara: Are they connected?

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 10th April 2019, 05:10 PM

it is an interesting thread and since Burton got the Omani sword almost completely off target considering and logging it as well as a strange spear point sword as Zanzibari but noting that he couldn't fathom how this could be used as a weapon..About the latter remark he was right. On Zanzibar there was of course frenetic activity and his Book of the Sword didn't wait for detailed correction as he had other things in mind like discovering the source of the Nile. Reports from expert witnesses in the field at that time underline the switched blade format that happened to Omani Long Hilts blending with the European Cav which was no weapon in this form. Thus the temptation to consider from other expert advice including Pitt Rivers that the Manding weapon was no battle sword...although given the right set of circumstances who knows what would happen in a melee? …I agree that anything would be thrown at the enemy ...as may have happened at the charge of the 21st at Omdurman.

It seemed therefor that the battle sword brilliantly described in your website and a benchmark for Kaskara needed to have the question framed about its battle use...when perhaps its psychological and Alam like inspiration seemed to loom large. I do however see that so many swords were used to arm the Ansari that this must have been a battle Sword albeit dripping with Quranic thuluth script ...but through no fault of its own hardly used with 50 yards of a British soldier not through the want of trying but by shocking and useless tactics on the command side of the Ansari..

Frankly to me if a weapon has a point and is rigid and has sharp edges plus a crossguard it is well on the way to being a battle sword but the indicators on the open Omani Longhilts are totally different. Not to labour the point I have made before it ...the long hilt Omani ...is governed by a set of rules as to its use in The Funun...The Omani traditions. Nowhere does it mention actual fighting. However, it carried a psychological pageant based socio religious historical following and people used it to support and salute the Sultan at Eid celebrations and at weddings.....

Rather like a modern British Wilkinson is used on todays parade grounds. With the caveat that the British sword was originally a battle sword but the Omani Straight Open Longhilt was designed and built under the orders of Saaid The Great ruler 1804 to 1856 as a strictly Pageant only accoutrement. Pageants not war.

10th April 2019, 05:10 PM	#46
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	it is an interesting thread and since Burton got the Omani sword almost completely off target considering and logging it as well as a strange spear point sword as Zanzibari but noting that he couldn't fathom how this could be used as a weapon..About the latter remark he was right. On Zanzibar there was of course frenetic activity and his Book of the Sword didn't wait for detailed correction as he had other things in mind like discovering the source of the Nile. Reports from expert witnesses in the field at that time underline the switched blade format that happened to Omani Long Hilts blending with the European Cav which was no weapon in this form. Thus the temptation to consider from other expert advice including Pitt Rivers that the Manding weapon was no battle sword...although given the right set of circumstances who knows what would happen in a melee? …I agree that anything would be thrown at the enemy ...as may have happened at the charge of the 21st at Omdurman. It seemed therefor that the battle sword brilliantly described in your website and a benchmark for Kaskara needed to have the question framed about its battle use...when perhaps its psychological and Alam like inspiration seemed to loom large. I do however see that so many swords were used to arm the Ansari that this must have been a battle Sword albeit dripping with Quranic thuluth script ...but through no fault of its own hardly used with 50 yards of a British soldier not through the want of trying but by shocking and useless tactics on the command side of the Ansari.. Frankly to me if a weapon has a point and is rigid and has sharp edges plus a crossguard it is well on the way to being a battle sword but the indicators on the open Omani Longhilts are totally different. Not to labour the point I have made before it ...the long hilt Omani ...is governed by a set of rules as to its use in The Funun...The Omani traditions. Nowhere does it mention actual fighting. However, it carried a psychological pageant based socio religious historical following and people used it to support and salute the Sultan at Eid celebrations and at weddings..... Rather like a modern British Wilkinson is used on todays parade grounds. With the caveat that the British sword was originally a battle sword but the Omani Straight Open Longhilt was designed and built under the orders of Saaid The Great ruler 1804 to 1856 as a strictly Pageant only accoutrement. Pageants not war. Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 10th April 2019 at 05:24 PM.