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Originally Posted by Ron Anderson
On this question, it has always puzzled me why Moroccan weapons include such a large number of European blades, and also patterns that have been adapted from European designs (such as this one, potentially).
This includes, Nimchas etc, which are patently non-European forms, but so often have old European blades.
Why is this? Is this evidence of Moorish influence in Southern Europe, and subsequent European counter-influence in Africa?
Personally, I prefer artefacts that are not mixed and matched in this way. However, perhaps that approach is a bit puritanical.
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Alan, as always my pleasure! and small return in kind for your help over these many years .
Ron, actually the nimcha is not entirely non European in that it is actually diffused from early North Italian hilt forms via Arab traders, with the influence becoming prominent in the Maghrebi littoral by probably by the latter 16th century. It was well established there by the 17th, in fact English merchants in trade with Morocco are seen in portraits in England wearing these in at least two portraits. By the 17th and 18th centuries European trade blades had become prevalent in North Africa via various port entries, and materials entered the ancient caravan routes diffusing them as is well established.
Naturally the complexity of all this history, trade networks and perpetual diffusion of weapon forms, influences and components would take far more to detail than could be placed here...even in my 'brief posts .
For me, and I know many others, the allure of ethnographic weapons is very much the complexity and solving the mysteries of these influences, diffusion and development of weapon forms. Learning the nuances of local hilt forms and the styles and markings of various European and other trade blades that help assess periods and origins are all part of being 'weapons detectives'
Your preferences are not 'puritanical' ..just preferences, and we all have different ones. The thing with ethnographic weapons is that it is often difficult to find examples that are not refurbished in thier working lives using other components, which also may be trade products. The presence of European blades became steadily more prevalent in medieval times after the crusades, and the Moroccan sa'if was but one example of the swords that also had European blades from Spain, Germany and Italy, such as the takouba and the kaskara.
Many hold the Moroccan janbiyya (koummya) to have the lunette style pommel derived from the North Italian cinquedea; the Moroccan s'boula with the H shaped grip from the European basilard, with many of these using bayonet blades from the colonial French; the Manding sabres use French cavalry sabre blades by the 19th century. To the east much of the influence is Ottoman and the list goes on.
Basically, the development of weapons is found in the history of trade, warfare, and colonial expansion.
Im glad you're with us, and soon you may discover yourself hooked too! Its addicting.
All best regards,
Jim