Kattara for comments

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

""Salaams ~ I believe you may have misconstrued the research which is detailed and correct based upon Omani and UAE National Archive and Museum information, coupled with on site comprehensive research by myself and my team. The facts are neatly laid out and findings are there to see viz;""

I see nothing in your research that academically support the notion that Straight saif is dance only. If so, then correct me with a link or 2, there is no shame in that!

""1. The Omani flexible long hilted dancing sword is a dancing sword only and always has been.""

I dont agree. I dont see anything that supports this. Infact, even one of our senior members (Jim Macdougall) disagrees with this.



""2. Hybridised straight swords typically Red Sea variants with points and stiff blades placed on Omani long hilts and Omani scabbards are not favoured by Omanis for dancing (or anything else) and are classed as Tourist Swords being mainly conversions done in Muscat Souk and sold there since 1970.(according to the Muscat souk and workshops owners)""

an unproved claim. Nothing more nothing less. You are ignoring alot of evidence countering this.

""3. Hybridised curved blades of European or other manufacture placed on Omani long hilts are badge of office not battle swords though in their previous configuration they were probably weapons.""

Thanks for countering your own argument. Why would a dancing sword form (hilt) be used for a badge of office? it makes no sense when that can be used with a more formidable battle form. Like it always has been everywhere (shamshirs, kilijs, saifs etc maintaining their original war form even though they are just dress swords)

""6. Generally where a sword has no quillons and except in the case of the short weapons at 5 above, in other words where it has a long Omani Hilt it is not a combat weapon as such but a badge of office or court sword. That is not to say that it could not inflict serious damage but that it is not a fighting sword. The same can be said of the other court swords which do have quillons ... They are dress swords.""

So are you saying that khyber knives, yataghans, dhas, shashkas etc are just dress swords now?:P There is no evidence supporting that but hey, lets ignore the battles that jannisaries, cossaks and pashtu's fought in maybe they were all using Omani battle swords

""7. I have so far not identified any Bedawi weapons in Oman but the research is open ended and continues.""

You are strawmanning my use of the badawi analogy. But here you go:

http://oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=1007

""8. The Old Omani Battle Sword or Sayf Yamaani; Is The only true fighting sword of Oman; comprising a straight short blade, double edged, pointed, quillons, spiked pommel. The fighting sword of Oman originally arrived in 751 AD and as a Battle Sword with a Terrs Shield used until the late 19thC. therafter, also worn as an Icon usually on a Royal Hilt. Sometime probably in about 1750 or about the time of the Busaidi dynasty commencing the new dancing sword was invented taking over all duties in the Funoon range of pageant retaining the term Sayf and enhanced for mimic fighting purposes the Terrs shield.""

Sure, the Omani battle sword is pretty much what it is, a battle sword. But there are many weapons which do not have quillons, double edges, spiked pommels etc but are used in battle. I see no point in repeating this over and over again but your argument ignores ALOT of evidence.

""9. Try as I may I find no relevance in your addition of a series of curved generally short weapons which in their current form are other countries swords not Omani. If they are placed to state that curved quillonless swords are weapons; that may well be the case elsewhere but on the Oman scene this is certainly not the case.""

The shashka, the dha, the bedouin shashka, the central asia shashka are not short weapons. The yataghan and khyber knife sometimes are short. These are a proof that quillons are not 100% important for a sword to be a battle one and them being non-Omani is irrelevant.

Salaams ~ The documentary evidence contained in the National Herritage Document, The Craft Herritage of Oman at page 220, 222, 454 and 455 and in the National Museum of Muscat and in the National Museum at Al Ain in the UAE. Supporting detailed and qualifying evidence is contained at this thread in most of the 250 posts.

To be fair I know that this takes some believing not least by people who may think they have a genuine fighting Omani sword when in fact they have not.. As explained the dancing sword is not a fighting sword.

To be even fairer many people in history (visitors in the 19th C noted at thread) have been duped by the appearance of the broadsword like aspect, seemingly, a two handed battlesword and used by very agressive tribesmen in the mimic fight style but they were mistaken since it is only a pageantry sword.

Whilst this is not even made absolutely clear in the herritage book on Omani swords which tries to explain the nature of the wavy straight variant(another dancing type of Sayf essentially the same as the straight dancing sword but with a wavy blade) as having been bathed in blood, the authors use the clever wording It is said that meaning it is probably rumour only. Certainly the authors had not the time to spend months on retrieving the truth which is that these are not battle swords. The flexible Omani Straight Sayf (or the similar wavy variant) is a dancing sword only.

All the other details are as I have indicated and are included in the reference as proven. Where I have indicated they are capable of being weapons that is the case... Where they are badge of office that is fact. When I indicate tourist weapon or sword... that is what they are; confirmed by the workshop owner (and shop owners) in Muscat Souk that has converted them since about 1970. Where I speak about the Old Omani Battle Sword that can be seen at thread and in Omani UAE and Kuwait museums(they have one of ours). The only true Omani Battle Sword (also Iconic). The Sayf Yamaani.

I know that the long handled Omani curved Kattara looks formidable ~ It really does look like it could cause a lot of damage and it probably could but it is not a weapon ... It is a sword of Badge of Office..Only. That is its purpose in life. A dress sword. Bye the way I have also seen it waggled in the air at pageants but that is not its purpose. Badge of Office.

You confuse long hilt quillonless curved Omani Swords with other countries combat weapons. You may not believe this but This is simply not the case in Oman. Museum reference refers.

The Old Omani Sayf Yamaani Battlesword is a different case study and whilst it is the only really true Omani Battlesword it too was Iconised in the al Busaidi Dynasty being rehilted on the Royal hilt.. Thread refers.

With respect; the introduction by you of our Moderator Jim McDougalls name is a very unsatisfactory development, since, on this forum people do not "tend" to make up their minds during a thread process, moreover, they are free to comment, guide and steer and in the final analysis, may sway one way or the other... or remain unbiased.

As always, however, I am open to constructive criticism.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.