Kattara for comments

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Late 20thC Omani Sayf dancing swords.

This style is typical of Ras Al Khaymah and carries the usual blade mark on both blades in identical form.

These swords are different lengths and on this post I shall also later (10 minutes)show the half sword in addition. As a dancing sword it is not obligatory to hold a full length sayf and often one sees the other variant two thirds the length(20 inch) of the long blades(30 inch)... still the same basic shape with flexi blade, round tip, razor sharp and on a long hilt however looking to my eye as a bit rediculous almost ! It rather underscores the pageant only use for this "weapon" or rather "pageantry accoutrement".

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Sallaams all ~

Confusion in the Timeline for The Straight Sayf Omani Dancing Sword and The Curved Omani Kattara.

A while ago, world opinion seemed to indicate a European source for the straight Omani dancing sword The Sayf which appeared to be the weapon taking over from the Old Omani Battle Sword..Also called the Sayf(actually Sayf Yamaani) in apparently circa the 18th C.

Whilst the date may be approximately correct (by coincidence) the assumption is, in fact, wrong. Forum has proved that this is not a European weapon or trade blade made by European sword makers since it is actually not a weapon at all… but a pageantry accessory that looks like a sword but isn’t. A quick breakdown as to why this is not a weapon viz;

1. The blade is flat thin and flexible to about 90 degrees from the point. (Useless in a swordfight proper)
2. The tip is spatulate designed deliberately to "not stab" since its role is to score a point against its mimic opponent in the pageant fake fight display by touching his thumb with the tip. In fact as an added in built safety measure since the blades are so long opponents rarely get within 6 feet of each other ! The sharp edges thus never come into play.
3. There are no quillons. Going in to bat with a real opponent without quillons is a tad risky. However since this is not a battle sword it needs none. The Old Omani Battle Sword has them.
4. The pommel is flat ended and often with a hole apparently for a wrist strap. The Old Omani Battle Sword has a pommel terminating in a point for close in strike to the face target in battle. In the hundreds of dancing swords I have handled I have never encountered a wrist strap… because it isn’t a battle sword so it needs none… The hole is for show. Many don’t have this hole.
5. In viewing the Funoon in the Razha and alyaalah acts of pageantry and mimic fighting it is obvious that this is only a socio/religio/politico/traditional artifact and accoutrement for dancing. Used in the tradition it also herralds in the Eid festivals and is paraded at National day celbrations and at weddings etc.Nothing else.

In support of this point~ In the flow of sword styles through Africa and Arabia there are no examples of this sword drifting via tectonic sword movement or development or trade into Oman in the same way that e.g. hawkshead "Nimcha" or Solingen blades have done. In the opposite direction this sword has not appeared in other countries (except the UAE which was part of the Oman not so long ago and certainly before about 1900 though individual Fiefdom rule was present etc. etc. ) It is Oman specific.

In none of the examples save a few squiggled fake Passau Woolf marks is there any evidence of a European blade mark. The crown mark is a fake RAK invention. Most marks have stars moon or the God is Great insignia(All Islamic/ Arab/ Omani Marks) or no mark at all.

Several centres are proven as manufacturing bases locally in Oman including Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat, Nizwa, Senau, Salalah and via an itinerant wandering Indo-gypsy group the "Zutoot" until now un-catalogued but now seen in detail in this thread and who plied their trade throughout Oman though since 1970 are integrated and their wandering trade has all but ceased.

The myth therefore of the Omani dancing sword… is therefore proven and with it collapses the European sword provision. It is a local item not a trade blade. In addition the time line reason d'être is also demolished since that also hung by the same thread to a European base… the accidental attribution of 18th C may be correct but as yet no proof is on the table. If I was to make a guess I would say perhaps this pageantry accessory arrived with the Al Bu Saaiid Dynasty. (I shall deal with the possible origin of design species soon and paying attention to its apparent Red Sea Cousin which has til now been rather puzzling and since its blade is not Omani)

The curved Kattara as a fighting sword comes under scrutiny in parallel since it too cannot be a fighting sword since the hilt is "quillonless". What is suggested is that this has become Iconized in the favourite way that Omani VIPs preferred the weapon (as a badge of office). Naturally being struck with it would be deadly enough, however, this is not a battlesword; not a weapon as such but a signature of wealth, rank and officialdom. It can also be viewed as a legal badge of law and could in the advent of criminal justice being meted out be an instrument for execution… etc

This official wearing is illustrated by the number of Sultans sporting these "fashion accessories" in late 19th C. photos and drawings. The Iconization of all Omani swords i.e. in design terms; the Zanzibari nimcha, the Shamshir, the Kattara, and the Old Omani Sayf Battle Sword (but not apparently the dancing variety) is evidenced. In the Iconic role the usual accompaniment of the Terrs shield is dispensed with.

In conclusion neither the dancing sword nor the kattara are fighting weapons of war and it should be added that the highly decorative Zanzibari Nimcha and the Shamshir variety (all termed Kattara in Oman) are court swords .. Icons not battle swords.

The only true Battle Sword of Oman is "The Sayf Yamaani" The Old Omani Battle Sword . The battle field weapon of originally 751 AD. The true "Omani Sayf".

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Note; Future tasks.

1. I have commenced cataloguing of the various types of Omani Swords and will publish to forum all the different styles in due course for library.
2. A post to view the possible origin of species of the Omani Dancing Sword.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all~ The First Sword to illustrate is The Old Omani Battle Sword known as Sayf Yamaani. Emanating from an Iraqi, Abbasid design mirrored in the Topkapi and used against that museum sword style in wars between Oman and the Abbasid garrison (in Buraimi) at the time of the first Immam in 751 AD. This is a real fighting weapon designed to kill at short range by chopping, slashing and stabbing like the Roman and Greek swords before. The Abbasids were Greek fanatics and thus the Greek style of weapon reflected into their armoury.

The "Sayf al Yamaani" is a living example of technology freeze and the style was retained and copied until the 20th Century. Its manufacturing base is as yet unknown though Nizwa and Hadramaut rank high in the choice. In its wake it has seen weapons come and go witnessing the gradual demise of long black powder guns, cannon, Martini Henry and Enfields as well as interlopers and non weapons such as the dancing sword which continued and heralded traditional celebrations and was given the same name; SAYF and coupled with the same shield The TERRS of thick hide " Waterbuffalo, Whale or Rhino etc"

I placed a sword of this type in the Tariq Rajeb Museum in Kuwait 15 years ago, assisted in the collection of 20 plus of them for a top collector in Arabia and currently have 3 in my private collection.

The sword finally passed into Iconic status in the late 19th century and can be seen on this thread worn by one of the Zanzibar Sultans in a sketch.

See this thread for 11 close comparisons in the style with the Abbasid Sword.

The Sayf Yamaani.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Note; The last picture compares the Sayf Yamaani with The Omani Sayf Dancing Sword centre and top the Abu Falq wiggly bladed Dancing variant. Both the latter swords appeared in Oman designed and made here not as weapons but as pageant accoutrements. (See post previous)

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all~ The Dancing Sword . Given the same name Sayf as for all Omani straight swords but not in fact a weapon but a pageantry accoutrement. Not as rumoured a Trade blade but actually locally made in Oman... as it still is today. Date of origin as yet unknown however possibly 18th C or specifically at the time of the current dynastic accession. Blade length variable from a full 30 inch down to a short version 20 inches. Spatulate tipped, thin but broad flexi blade, on a long quillonless hilt with pommel, sometimes holed.

Regards Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all~ KATTARA Type 1.

In this post I consider "what I call" Type 1 Kattara i.e. only those curved blades with the long Omani hilt Other types I include in the next post as Kattara Type 2.

The Curved Omani Sword. No matter what the blade is known as in other countries the name Kattara is applied from the Omani viewpoint. That means Shamshir, Nimcha, Shasqka etc all get the same label Kattara in Oman. The term appears to be a late addition into the language and "may be" a bastardised word from African, Indian or English (Cutter?) etc etc.

It comprises a curved blade often either Caucaz, Central European, German, Mediteranean, and in the Shamshir; Persian and Indian. In addition there is Red Sea influence and blades of Saudia, Yemeni, Zanzibari, manufacture etc. The main feature in the Omanisation process is in the long hilt which de-weaponises many of the swords since it does away with the quillons. The other addition is of course the Omani Scabbard. The item then achieves Iconic status; as this thread describes earlier.

The date guestimate of this variant hybrid coincides, perhaps, with the introduction of the dancing sword (in the above post) with which it shares hilt and scabbard style. Somewhere in the 18th Century and perhaps parallel to the current dynasty taking power. The exact date, however, is not yet proven.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

KATTARA TYPE 2. (i.e.the rest).
Picture with white hilt shows an actual Persian Shamshir for comparison.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Hawksheads. (Nimcha) Known elsewhere as Karabela. In Oman because it is curved it simply gets the Kattara sticker though even amongst locals they sometimes call it a sayf ( a sword ). I show hawksheads as an overlapping form from the last post and as a separate style probably Yemeni and boun cing into there via the Red Sea and Zanzibar..sporting the usual range of European and copied blades as in the above post. One photo shows the Ottoman version..with luxurious horn hilt and conspicuous large rivvets and a likely contender of "origin of species" ! These certainly appear to be "weapons grade swords" with or without quillons and being reasonably short would have been ideal on board ships. From the lavish original style it seems to have degenerated into a general ships long knife, shortsword, cutlass retaining its hilt shape though in simple wood with leather over. In this way it has survived as a practical weapon though it is more seen on the periphery and on dhows. It is certainly not a pageantry item. It is tempting to try the label "Yemeni Nimcha."

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.