Kattara for comments

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Heres the photo~

I see the pics did not transfer with the "quote" Please refer to post #21 dated 18/5 by Ibrahiim
This is the pic I was refering to when I commented on the post by ARCHER. I do not see any hole in the hilt of this sword, just the knob as per the Mandingo sword................... so what are we really looking at here? The person in the pic wears a dagger (presumably Omani) of the saidi hilted type. Are we now saying that the sword he holds is in fact a Kattara, and if so is the hilt of the Mandingo type?
Regarding blade types found on Middle Eastern swords: The (then) colonial powers were very active in the area for a long period of time, and as a result numerious sword blades found there way to the area as "trade blades", and were hilted in the various countries with the local style of hilt. Ethiopia is a great example of this activity, where blades from all over europe appear on local swords.
Why should Oman be any different, particularly as the Omanis were well known a great seafarers and must have travelled great distances?