Kattara for comments

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Gentlemen thank you so much for your understanding and agreement that the discussion itself here is paramount and must be carried forward most productively without polarities. Thank you very much for the kind words Lofty, however my 'knowledge' is simply a compendium of that of others which is gathered over the time I spend in researching in order to write here. As I haved noted, I learn from the valuable input of members here and assemble material and observations collectively to form my own perspectives, which can and often will readjust according to degrees of plausibility with information at hand.

The quotes I provided are of course compelling in suggesting that the straight sa'if commonly termed in most references the 'kattara' has indeed been a combat weapon in its well established configuration. The reason I placed these references is that in the study of arms, as I was once told, a writers responsibility is to present not only his views in supporting his theories or thesis, but those opposing as well in order for the reader to properly evaluate the material.

As Ibrahiim has well pointed out, these venerable narratives may have been impressions perceived in less than optimum circumstances for establishing broadly based opinions or observations. While they offer the implications that these swords had blades which did indeed vibrate in accord with the dynamics of the war dance as well as serve in combat, the comments concerning the nature of them only vaguely suggests that imported trade blades were among the weapons seen, not necessarily all of them.

I would however note here in the comments by Mr. Fraser suggesting the comparison of the Omani swords to those of the Scottish Highlander would seem to be to be referring to the baskethilt broadsword, but I believe the comments were directed to the blade, and of course not the hilt. What I believe was meant was that the appearance of the blades in thier profile, size and even in many of the markings on them pointed toward thier being like those produced in Germany for the Scottish swords. Mr. Fraser clearly was familiar with Scottish broadswords as his mention of the 'Andrea Ferrara' marking was a specific not commonly known in general parlance concerning these swords beyond those who had actually seen and handled them.
Having considered these facts, we simply cannot determine which type of hilt the Omani's had mounted on these blades, only that the blades used were apparantly in large degree German imports, and appear to have had the capability to vibrate in accord with the action seen in the swords used in the war dance.

I have tried to learn more on the term 'halab' as used in Elgood to describe blades as previously mentioned, however it seems most references such as Stone etc. claim it refers to a Sikh type sword in India. That reference is of course vague in itself as there are actually no specific sword types attributed to Sikh use alone. I am wondering if the term may have been adopted to refer to a blade with characteristics of types which had come from India and had become used in that parlance in Arabia?

Thank you again guys,
All the best,
Jim

Salaams Jim ~ last point first ~HALAB the old name or original Arab name for Aleppo in Syria. viz Aleppo is the common modern-day English name for the city. It was known in antiquity as Khalpe, Khalibon,[12] and to the Greeks and Romans as Beroea (Βέροια). During the Crusades, and again during the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon, the name Alep was used: "Aleppo" is an Italianised version of this.

The ancient name of the city, Halab, is also its Arabic name in the modern day. It is of obscure origin. Some have proposed that Halab means 'iron' or 'copper' in Amorite languages since it was a major source of these metals in antiquity. Halaba in Aramaic means white, referring to the color of soil and marble abundant in the area. Another proposed etymology is that the name Halab means "gave out milk," coming from the ancient tradition that Abraham gave milk to travelers as they moved throughout the region.[13] The colour of his cows was ashen (Arab. shaheb); therefore the city is also called Halab ash-Shahba ("he milked the ash-coloured").

Whereas I cannot find precise information about Omani blades from there it would make sense that there were some perhaps in the Shamshir variety and as a concoction of swords also through Iran since the Shamshir of Safavid form was made by a famous Iraqi swordsmith in the Safavid royal court and his stamp typically copied down the ages.

On the subject of the witnesses in the 19th C in and around Oman and Hormuz I agree that it is interesting but hugely difficult to substantiate and would ask that caution be duly observed. I find it odd that on a single visit a sword blade mark could be identified such as "Solingen" or "andrea ferrera" (probably in style) by someone unaccustomed to the traditions and idiosyncracies in Omani sword work... Perhaps like others (e.g.Burton?) there has been a tendency to embelish a story later? Perhaps he saw one straight variant (the dancing Sword ) or two ( e.g. Also The Old Omani Battle Sword) ? I think at best we can only hold these anecdotes up and hope a light shines through them at some future researched point.

It occured to me when I was researching claymore swords and as a spin off on the European Forum delving into Falchion and Malchus I ended up on a forum search looking at Italian blades and how strikingly similar they were to some straight Red Sea blades I have seen hilted on Omani long hilts. Schiovana blades.

As observed I can report no clear link (as yet) for Omani dancing blades to European factories though I believe a good reference is available on the subject.(German Sword Makers?) I have only identified local manufacture and some itinerant work by Zutoot and pre about 1970. All my references outline dance not war though the Museum mentions European blades it is not specific and could simply be referring to curved Kattara blades. I dont have the Elgood straight sword picture and wondered if that could be published here please?

I am sifting through the book by Ian Skeet on Oman before 1970 and turned up another small gem regarding the Khojas of Muscat... a trader network of families now itegrated into Omani Society along with The Baluch and Persian Baharina. The Khojas are Hyderabadi leading merchant class. ( Thus the Hyderabad swords linkage could be clear) Without these now integrated groups and of course the Indian contingency, Oman before 1970 would have ground to a halt.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Notes;
1. Halab detail courtesy Wiki encyclopaedia.
2. Khojas detail etc courtesy Ian Skeet. Oman before 1970.