Bedouin Sword for Discussion

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by TribalBlades

I personally believe there is no such thing as a Bedouin Sword (except the Omani / Yemeni Kattara and the Saif). Bedu hardly used Swords for warfare. It is mostly used for dancing. They almost always relied on Rifles and Guns. (except perhaps swords that date from before the arrival of the british and other colonizing forces).

Salaams Tribal Blades.. Im afraid thats not the case ~ I understand the sentiment since you must have seen the state of what the Bedouin are now like with 4 wheel drives galore and seemingly not much antiquity left at all...but they did carry swords and they used them on occasions on raids and fights. No doubt they were also a badge of office too...as as you say for pageants, weddings and dancing.. but as you intimate swords fell out of fashion as rifles fell in. I have a record of sword battles circa 1900 in the what is now UAE... and there are lots of pictures of Bedouin with swords.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.