[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Thanks for waking this one up Lofty!
This is a very interesting sabre, and as you have noted Elgood, he describes these hilts as well as the trilobate 'karabela' style as often being produced in Hyderabad, India for export to Hadhramaut. These Indian hilts were characteristically repousse silverwork, but perhaps with the proclivity for cast yellow metal in South India, this might be indeed another 'Indian' product.
These blades, again as noted by Elgood, seem often imported out of Daghestani and Chechen regions and with distinct East European instances as well. It seems that many blades thought to be Hungarian were likely Solingen or Styrian products. Whatever the case, they seem mid to latter 18th century, and the hatchet type point favored for East European cavalry sabres. The 'sickle' marks became the 'gurda' in Caucasian parlance.

These distinctly Yemeni hilts seem to have a compelling similarity to the triple projections on the 'billao' short swords found in Somalia, and it is of course tempting to consider that the influence may have come from these type swords on Omani vessels bound for Zanzibar and trade stops there.
(attached image of billao)

Note also the very stubby, almost vestigial crossguard, which is seen on many Arabian saif forms, and to me has always brought to mind another Caucasian form, rare, but still possible to have influenced swords via trade and Circassian influences.. the Tatar 'ordynka'.

The diaspora of Circassians and others after the Murid Wars brought up by Ariel is indeed an intriguing denominator in the diffusion of weapons and other cultural elements. I recall there was a fascinating book by Lewis Stanton Palen in 1925, "The Lost Sword of Shamyl". It has been years since seeing my copy, but it seems that the shashka of Imam Shamyl, the Murid warrior chieftain (at least one of them) was somehow last seen in the Chicago area, but dont recall much more.

All best regards,
Jim

Salaams Jim, Absolutely brilliant Jim; Your link with the monumental Somali hilts is superbly put. My reckoning is that these blades migrated down and around the Red Sea region fusing designs from both shores. Buttins page refers to the various hilt designs on the Zanzibari Nimcha and the Somali design is apparent on several marks. Giving the timeline a shuffle I suspect that the 1744 date of the Al Bu Said dynasty start is pivottal to the design of the long handled Omani straight (Sayf) dancing sword and that the hilt simply transferred to the curved Kattara soon after that. I would say between 1744 and 1760 the curved Omani Kattara emerged. I therefor plumb for 1750.