Why is it that the Moroccan variant has a peened stud often ornately decorated whilst the Zanzibar style usually shows a Turtle shaped peened stud format; entirely different?
If the sword evolved from the Moroccan (and it could hardly have come from somewhere else) without a peened stud that also means it probably arrived with no blade, no scabbard and no guards... Did it arrive as a box full/shipload of horsehead hilts only?
Blade manufacture was in place of course in Indian theatres as well as across Africa with European trade blades and in Yemen at Hadramaut etc The Omani Zanzibari craftsmen were perfectly placed and equiped to turn out scabbards and refit imported blades and home grown quilons probably from a Moroccan example but altering the knuckleguard as noted earlier...
As and when the Zanzibari Nimcha bounced into neighboring countries the hilt changed to reflect local customs ... As noted previously the ornate Omani Ivory Hilted gold adorned hilt fulfilled the requirement for a Court/VIP/ Sea Merchants sword.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.
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