This truly is an interesting discourse, and actually I don't think we are 'worlds' apart overall.....the matters of whether a sword was combat oriented or not basically seems circumstantial. Clearly the long hilt Omani 'dance' sword (which has become so contentious over years here) is quite misunderstood and with the flimsy blades is an exception.
Iain, I must apologize for my clumsy wording re: the dha and dao included in my comment toward guardless swords ……..what I meant was 'sword to sword' combat. I don't know SE Asian sword technique but I was not aware that they 'fenced'.....I know in China of course the jian is used is such manner, but think there is a guard of sorts. Whatever the case, trying to sort out how each sword is used, or whether each type is battle worthy pretty much strays from the whole gist of this thread.
It seems quite clear that trade routes moving westward from hubs in the east may have carried the style or convention of the open (without guard) hilt as far as Mali and environs. That these were swords of distinction possibly could have inspired Manding traders to adopt and use similar types which became the sabre we are familiar with now,
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