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Originally Posted by Tatyana Dianova
As already noted, the Koumiya of the topic starter has a silver mark.
It is a silver mark from Marrakech from the 1918. Since the scabbard is oval, the visible mark is incomplete, the date should be 1337 with Arabic writing.
Several towns in Morocco has used each its own silver marks which changed over the time. In the reference book I have used (Bijoux du Maroc by Marie-Rose Rabate) there are several pages with the Moroccan silver marks.
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Reference;
A.
http://www.vikingsword.com/ethsword/koummya/index.html
B.
http://nimcha.fr/koummya.htm
Well spotted Tatyana Dianova~ I must get that book... Quite normal for silver marks to be either missing one digit or a digit rubbed out in polishing...or an unclear strike caused by in this case an oval scabbard.
I found it a fascinating but at times somewhat weird: It is entirely normal in Morocco to be asked the same thing in Arabic and French in the same sentence "Kayf Haalak, quesque tu fait, tu va bien? "
In addition I have to say that it is a wonderful place and probably the closest to its past than any other Arabic country...What I mean is the Talismanic and superstitious aspect of rural life is very much apparent with Marabouts (Magic Men) wandering about openly and a real close belief in an ancient occult-like system very much still part of Moroccan rural society.
I had been playing with the idea that this could have been a mark applied by a French artesan but I have given up on that ... For Moroccan work we need an in country member dedicated to wandering the bazaars cataloging the wonderful artefacts ... I'm up for that !!! ..
It is great to see impressive support and back up from Oliver and Jim and others ...
Regards.
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.