[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all~ The First Sword to illustrate is The Old Omani Battle Sword known as Sayf Yamaani. Emanating from an Iraqi, Abbasid design mirrored in the Topkapi and used against that museum sword style in wars between Oman and the Abbasid garrison (in Buraimi) at the time of the first Immam in 751 AD. This is a real fighting weapon designed to kill at short range by chopping, slashing and stabbing like the Roman and Greek swords before. The Abbasids were Greek fanatics and thus the Greek style of weapon reflected into their armoury.

The "Sayf al Yamaani" is a living example of technology freeze and the style was retained and copied until the 20th Century. Its manufacturing base is as yet unknown though Nizwa and Hadramaut rank high in the choice. In its wake it has seen weapons come and go witnessing the gradual demise of long black powder guns, cannon, Martini Henry and Enfields as well as interlopers and non weapons such as the dancing sword which continued and heralded traditional celebrations and was given the same name; SAYF and coupled with the same shield The TERRS of thick hide " Waterbuffalo, Whale or Rhino etc"

I placed a sword of this type in the Tariq Rajeb Museum in Kuwait 15 years ago, assisted in the collection of 20 plus of them for a top collector in Arabia and currently have 3 in my private collection.

The sword finally passed into Iconic status in the late 19th century and can be seen on this thread worn by one of the Zanzibar Sultans in a sketch.

See this thread for 11 close comparisons in the style with the Abbasid Sword.

The Sayf Yamaani.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Note; The last picture compares the Sayf Yamaani with The Omani Sayf Dancing Sword centre and top the Abu Falq wiggly bladed Dancing variant. Both the latter swords appeared in Oman designed and made here not as weapons but as pageant accoutrements. (See post previous)