Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

A.alnakkas · 6th March 2012, 05:52 PM

""The Omani dancing sword was never used nor was it intended for use as a fighting weapon. The sword dance is purely honorific and as part of the Funoon reflecting a tradition. Going in to bat against a swordsman with a proper sword would leave someone without fingers and probably minus a hand in about 2 seconds flat ! Piano lessons would be cancelled !""

This has already been answered. The lack of quillons or guard is no measure. The evidence can be found in many swords such as:

1- Shashkas.
2- Afghan Shashkas.
3- Sinai bedouin Saber.
4- Dhas.
5- Barongs.
6- Khyber knives.

So there is plenty of evidence to counter your assumption here.

""The Omani Sayf dancing sword was designed for the traditions.. The Razha ... nothing else. The shield blocking is part of a show. Exponents can attack the shield but can only score the winning point by touching the opponents thumb with the spatulate tip...""

Sure, that might be the rules of the dance. But you are neglecting the existance of sharp saifs and ones with pointy tips.. oh wait, these are one offs... many one offs.

""The flexibility is for show only~ so that the blade can be buzzed in the air in the procession part of the Razha. People would laugh at you if you went into a sword fight with a 90 degree bending tip !!""

Not necessarily, after all, not all Kattaras are flexible blades ;-) (I take the whole "solid blades are touristy" argument as very.. well pointless)

""No quillons, no spike on the pommel, and a blade that bends virtually in half does not equal a fighting sword..Your suggestion of the spiked pommel being "subjective" is puzzling. ( On this point we are refering to the Old Omani Battle Sword comparing its spiked pommel with the Dancing Sayf which has no spike). The spike being for close quarter battle. Why else would a sword have a spiked pommel? More importantly why has the dancing sword not got one? Hardly subjective; I suggest.""

This is subjective because not every sword that went to use through out history has a spiked pommel. The straight Omani saif not having a spiked pommel does not say much about its purpose ;-)

""What is far more relevant is that the term Sayf was passed on from the Old Omani Battle Sword ~ The SAYF YAMAANI ~ along with the TERRS SHIELD to be honoured in the Funoon by this dancing tool, a simbolic accoutrement...not a weapon system as such but given the name Omani Sayf wa Terrs.""

Or maybe they just called a saif.. a saif like most arabs do?:P

""Your Bedawi reference is, as you indicate, ill placed, however, I would suggest that this is an interesting weapon requiring serious research and fine detail...""

You still missed the point. My reference was regarding the situation in which the badawi has evolved, the straight Omani "MAY" have went to the exact same thing as like the badawi, there are solid battle omani saifs and dance ones. So all am saying is, your whole conclusion is assumptive.

(Decided to reply here, in order not to delay Illiad's topic)

6th March 2012, 05:52 PM	#264
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,338	""The Omani dancing sword was never used nor was it intended for use as a fighting weapon. The sword dance is purely honorific and as part of the Funoon reflecting a tradition. Going in to bat against a swordsman with a proper sword would leave someone without fingers and probably minus a hand in about 2 seconds flat ! Piano lessons would be cancelled !"" This has already been answered. The lack of quillons or guard is no measure. The evidence can be found in many swords such as: 1- Shashkas. 2- Afghan Shashkas. 3- Sinai bedouin Saber. 4- Dhas. 5- Barongs. 6- Khyber knives. So there is plenty of evidence to counter your assumption here. ""The Omani Sayf dancing sword was designed for the traditions.. The Razha ... nothing else. The shield blocking is part of a show. Exponents can attack the shield but can only score the winning point by touching the opponents thumb with the spatulate tip..."" Sure, that might be the rules of the dance. But you are neglecting the existance of sharp saifs and ones with pointy tips.. oh wait, these are one offs... many one offs. ""The flexibility is for show only~ so that the blade can be buzzed in the air in the procession part of the Razha. People would laugh at you if you went into a sword fight with a 90 degree bending tip !!"" Not necessarily, after all, not all Kattaras are flexible blades ;-) (I take the whole "solid blades are touristy" argument as very.. well pointless) ""No quillons, no spike on the pommel, and a blade that bends virtually in half does not equal a fighting sword..Your suggestion of the spiked pommel being "subjective" is puzzling. ( On this point we are refering to the Old Omani Battle Sword comparing its spiked pommel with the Dancing Sayf which has no spike). The spike being for close quarter battle. Why else would a sword have a spiked pommel? More importantly why has the dancing sword not got one? Hardly subjective; I suggest."" This is subjective because not every sword that went to use through out history has a spiked pommel. The straight Omani saif not having a spiked pommel does not say much about its purpose ;-) ""What is far more relevant is that the term Sayf was passed on from the Old Omani Battle Sword ~ The SAYF YAMAANI ~ along with the TERRS SHIELD to be honoured in the Funoon by this dancing tool, a simbolic accoutrement...not a weapon system as such but given the name Omani Sayf wa Terrs."" Or maybe they just called a saif.. a saif like most arabs do?:P ""Your Bedawi reference is, as you indicate, ill placed, however, I would suggest that this is an interesting weapon requiring serious research and fine detail..."" You still missed the point. My reference was regarding the situation in which the badawi has evolved, the straight Omani "MAY" have went to the exact same thing as like the badawi, there are solid battle omani saifs and dance ones. So all am saying is, your whole conclusion is assumptive. (Decided to reply here, in order not to delay Illiad's topic)