Sallaams all ~
Confusion in the Timeline for The Straight Sayf Omani Dancing Sword and The Curved Omani Kattara.
A while ago, world opinion seemed to indicate a European source for the straight Omani dancing sword The Sayf which appeared to be the weapon taking over from the Old Omani Battle Sword..Also called the Sayf(actually Sayf Yamaani) in apparently circa the 18th C.
Whilst the date may be approximately correct (by coincidence) the assumption is, in fact, wrong. Forum has proved that this is not a European weapon or trade blade made by European sword makers since it is actually not a weapon at all… but a pageantry accessory that looks like a sword but isn’t. A quick breakdown as to why this is not a weapon viz;
1. The blade is flat thin and flexible to about 90 degrees from the point. (Useless in a swordfight proper)
2. The tip is spatulate designed deliberately to "not stab" since its role is to score a point against its mimic opponent in the pageant fake fight display by touching his thumb with the tip. In fact as an added in built safety measure since the blades are so long opponents rarely get within 6 feet of each other ! The sharp edges thus never come into play.
3. There are no quillons. Going in to bat with a real opponent without quillons is a tad risky. However since this is not a battle sword it needs none. The Old Omani Battle Sword has them.
4. The pommel is flat ended and often with a hole apparently for a wrist strap. The Old Omani Battle Sword has a pommel terminating in a point for close in strike to the face target in battle. In the hundreds of dancing swords I have handled I have never encountered a wrist strap… because it isn’t a battle sword so it needs none… The hole is for show. Many don’t have this hole.
5. In viewing the Funoon in the Razha and alyaalah acts of pageantry and mimic fighting it is obvious that this is only a socio/religio/politico/traditional artifact and accoutrement for dancing. Used in the tradition it also herralds in the Eid festivals and is paraded at National day celbrations and at weddings etc.Nothing else.
In support of this point~ In the flow of sword styles through Africa and Arabia there are no examples of this sword drifting via tectonic sword movement or development or trade into Oman in the same way that e.g. hawkshead "Nimcha" or Solingen blades have done. In the opposite direction this sword has not appeared in other countries (except the UAE which was part of the Oman not so long ago and certainly before about 1900 though individual Fiefdom rule was present etc. etc. ) It is Oman specific.
In none of the examples save a few squiggled fake Passau Woolf marks is there any evidence of a European blade mark. The crown mark is a fake RAK invention. Most marks have stars moon or the God is Great insignia(All Islamic/ Arab/ Omani Marks) or no mark at all.
Several centres are proven as manufacturing bases locally in Oman including Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat, Nizwa, Senau, Salalah and via an itinerant wandering Indo-gypsy group the "Zutoot" until now un-catalogued but now seen in detail in this thread and who plied their trade throughout Oman though since 1970 are integrated and their wandering trade has all but ceased.
The myth therefore of the Omani dancing sword… is therefore proven and with it collapses the European sword provision. It is a local item not a trade blade. In addition the time line reason d'être is also demolished since that also hung by the same thread to a European base… the accidental attribution of 18th C may be correct but as yet no proof is on the table. If I was to make a guess I would say perhaps this pageantry accessory arrived with the Al Bu Saaiid Dynasty. (I shall deal with the possible origin of design species soon and paying attention to its apparent Red Sea Cousin which has til now been rather puzzling and since its blade is not Omani)
The curved Kattara as a fighting sword comes under scrutiny in parallel since it too cannot be a fighting sword since the hilt is "quillonless". What is suggested is that this has become Iconized in the favourite way that Omani VIPs preferred the weapon (as a badge of office). Naturally being struck with it would be deadly enough, however, this is not a battlesword; not a weapon as such but a signature of wealth, rank and officialdom. It can also be viewed as a legal badge of law and could in the advent of criminal justice being meted out be an instrument for execution… etc
This official wearing is illustrated by the number of Sultans sporting these "fashion accessories" in late 19th C. photos and drawings. The Iconization of all Omani swords i.e. in design terms; the Zanzibari nimcha, the Shamshir, the Kattara, and the Old Omani Sayf Battle Sword (but not apparently the dancing variety) is evidenced. In the Iconic role the usual accompaniment of the Terrs shield is dispensed with.
In conclusion neither the dancing sword nor the kattara are fighting weapons of war and it should be added that the highly decorative Zanzibari Nimcha and the Shamshir variety (all termed Kattara in Oman) are court swords .. Icons not battle swords.
The only true Battle Sword of Oman is "The Sayf Yamaani" The Old Omani Battle Sword . The battle field weapon of originally 751 AD. The true "Omani Sayf".
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.
Note; Future tasks.
1. I have commenced cataloguing of the various types of Omani Swords and will publish to forum all the different styles in due course for library.
2. A post to view the possible origin of species of the Omani Dancing Sword.
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