The Omani Sayf. ( The Omani Straight Dancing Sword)

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams Khanjar 1 ~ SO TO BE QUITE CLEAR ~

Yes all the Omani Sayfs ... The straight Omani Dancing swords bend massively... at least through 90 degrees and return immediately to straight. That applies to all of the Omani dancing swords in my collection... my workshop is not a sword "making" facility.

All the sword making workshops that I know of continue to turn out only flexible dancing swords in the format I describe.

It has always been my suspicion that the straight stiff variant "blade" is a Red Sea style previously a fighting blade perhaps Ottoman, Ethiopian Yemeni or even Algerian. For a comparison on an Omani hilt on a blade with a "similar" blade mark almost identical to an Algerian gun mark see Kattara for comments # 149 and #176.

My thoughts on Muscat rehilting are already placed.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all Update in Muscat.

I have tracked a number of points on the straight flexible dancing sword... The Omani Sayf. This is for confirmation (though it is already agreed by the Museums via another collector and close colleague whom I interviewed in Muscat yesterday) that precisely as I have explained previously the sword is purely for dancing and since its inception at the beginning of the current Albusaid Dynasty which I assume is 1744 though 1799 is also claimed...its role has been in the pageants as described and never... absolutely never as a weapon of war. The key proof is that this weapon was invented to march past and honour the Dynastic Albusaid monarch and not some previous family ruler...Obvious really ! The blade is supposed to be Omani, however, where other occasional foreign neighboring or distant blades appear it makes absolutely no difference to the core theme... Dancing Sword only. I am in the Museums on Tuesday next to collect the proof.
This is therefor simply an update..

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Notes;
List of rulers that have been paraded past by tribesmen using the Straight Omani Sayf;

Al Bu Said Dynasty (1749–Present)
Abu Hilal Ahmad bin Said
10 June 1744
15 December 1783

Said bin Ahmad
15 December 1783
1784
Last direct male descendant of Al Bu Said to hold the office of Imam. He abdicated secular power to his son and retired to Rustaq where he died in 1803.

Hamad bin Said
1784
13 March 1792

Sultan bin Ahmad
13 March 1792
20 November 1804

Salim I bin Sultan and Said II bin Sultan
20 November 1804
14 September 1806
Co-Rulers

Said II bin Sultan
14 September 1806
19 October 1856 Sole Ruler

Thuwaini bin Said
19 October 1856
11 February 1866
Killed

Salim II bin Thuwaini
11 February 1866
3 October 1868
Killed

Azzan bin Qais
3 October 1868
30 January 1871
Killed

Turki bin Said
30 January 1871
4 June 1888

Faisal bin Turki
4 June 1888
9 October 1913
British protectorate imposed on 20 March 1891[28][29]

Taimur bin Feisal
9 October 1913
10 February 1932
Abdicated

Said III bin Taimur
10 February 1932
23 July 1970
Deposed

Qaboos bin Said

23 July 1970
Present
British protectorate ended on 2 December 1971

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams all Update in Muscat.

I have tracked a number of points on the straight flexible dancing sword... The Omani Sayf. This is for confirmation (though it is already agreed by the Museums via another collector and close colleague whom I interviewed in Muscat yesterday) that precisely as I have explained previously the sword is purely for dancing and since its inception at the beginning of the current Albusaid Dynasty which I assume is 1744 though 1799 is also claimed...its role has been in the pageants as described and never... absolutely never as a weapon of war. The key proof is that this weapon was invented to march past and honour the Dynastic Albusaid monarch and not some previous family ruler...Obvious really ! The blade is supposed to be Omani, however, where other occasional foreign neighboring or distant blades appear it makes absolutely no difference to the core theme... Dancing Sword only. I am in the Museums on Tuesday next to collect the proof.
This is therefor simply an update..

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Notes;
List of rulers that have been paraded past by tribesmen using the Straight Omani Sayf;

Al Bu Said Dynasty (1749–Present)
Abu Hilal Ahmad bin Said
10 June 1744
15 December 1783

Said bin Ahmad
15 December 1783
1784
Last direct male descendant of Al Bu Said to hold the office of Imam. He abdicated secular power to his son and retired to Rustaq where he died in 1803.

Hamad bin Said
1784
13 March 1792

Sultan bin Ahmad
13 March 1792
20 November 1804

Salim I bin Sultan and Said II bin Sultan
20 November 1804
14 September 1806
Co-Rulers

Said II bin Sultan
14 September 1806
19 October 1856 Sole Ruler

Thuwaini bin Said
19 October 1856
11 February 1866
Killed

Salim II bin Thuwaini
11 February 1866
3 October 1868
Killed

Azzan bin Qais
3 October 1868
30 January 1871
Killed

Turki bin Said
30 January 1871
4 June 1888

Faisal bin Turki
4 June 1888
9 October 1913
British protectorate imposed on 20 March 1891[28][29]

Taimur bin Feisal
9 October 1913
10 February 1932
Abdicated

Said III bin Taimur
10 February 1932
23 July 1970
Deposed

Qaboos bin Said

23 July 1970
Present
British protectorate ended on 2 December 1971

Salaams All~ The Museums support my long held theory that the Omani Straight Dancing Sword (The Omani Sayf) never saw action as a fighting blade, however, it was and is the Royal chosen form of Dynastic pageantry weapon with which to salute the Albusaid rulers down the ages.... from the start ... 1744.

It appears clear that the hilt transferred from the Kattara (A Ships Merchant, Slave Captains sword) and that the blade was sharpened on both edges and spatulate tipped and given the Terrs Shield in Honour of the Old Omani Battle Swords or the bearers of ... who went before.

The choice of very flexible, shimmering, broadsword was deliberate since the weapon is ideally suited for Royal march past by massed tribesmen and pageant and can be buzzed and thrown in the air and mock fought with relatively safely.

This was not a European import but was produced locally. European swords, moreover, were fighting weapons by definition... The Sayf was not.

Production continues locally today in Mussandam and Salalah for both the local market and the tourists.

The mark of a dancing sword is its ability to bend easily through 90 degrees from the tip and when released springs straight again immediately.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams All~ The Museums support my long held theory that the Omani Straight Dancing Sword (The Omani Sayf) never saw action as a fighting blade, however, it was and is the Royal chosen form of Dynastic pageantry weapon with which to salute the Albusaid rulers down the ages.... from the start ... 1744.

It appears clear that the hilt transferred from the Kattara (A Ships Merchant, Slave Captains sword) and that the blade was sharpened on both edges and spatulate tipped and given the Terrs Shield in Honour of the Old Omani Battle Swords or the bearers of ... who went before.

The choice of very flexible, shimmering, broadsword was deliberate since the weapon is ideally suited for Royal march past by massed tribesmen and pageant and can be buzzed and thrown in the air and mock fought with relatively safely.

This was not a European import but was produced locally. European swords, moreover, were fighting weapons by definition... The Sayf was not.

Production continues locally today in Mussandam and Salalah for both the local market and the tourists.

The mark of a dancing sword is its ability to bend easily through 90 degrees from the tip and when released springs straight again immediately.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

OK so where does the NON flexible straight Omani sword fit into your picture?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

OK so where does the NON flexible straight Omani sword fit into your picture?

Salaams khanjar 1,
I dont believe it is "my picture"... since the essence of study so far as I am concerned shines a "forum" light into dark recesses otherwise undiscovered or shrouded in mystery... as this one has been. Thus the picture belongs to all of us.

Your question is about the straight Omani Dancing sword or do you percieve that there is another straight sword with a conical hilt that isn't flexible ? There isn't... There is only a straight dancer so any sword that is described as straight two edged on a conical hilt which looks like the standard Omani Sayf .. (but isn't because its not flexible) is probably a red sea blade rehilted. It may be the case with your #30.

I think a lot of these were floated through Muscat souk but were deliberately put together as tourist items. Personally I suggest that a few could be decent fighting blades and as I have said before even of Schiavona parentage and some from the Solingen stables sporting the Solingen stamp and STAMM STAMM. (See Kattara for comments #228 at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ttara+comments.)

There is a degree of irony here, since, surely a blade that was a fighting blade should be regarded as worth more collectably than say a pageantry and dancing blade only?

Regarding the Omani Sayf; Visitors... some very prominent and knowlegeable to boot including several military ones during the 18th and 19th C have been hoodwinked by this fascinating "weapon" not surprisingly because of its apparent wickedly sharp blade, its seemingly broadsword lethality, the amazing mimic fighting pageant...and of course its attendant battle shield " The Terrs."

We have shown, however, the purely accidental nature of this mistake which incidentally occured whilst the other great smokescreen was being thrown up... that of gunpowder weapons which heralded the demise of the other great Omani weapon;The Spear. That period also witnessed the slide from grace of the absolutely Omani blade; "The Old Omani Battle Sword" which even today holds an honourable place as a fighting Icon with a royal blessing on a redesigned Sayiddiyah hilt.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[BANTARU]

have any examples of the Omani Spear or spears from the Gulf Regions/Yemen survived to date?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by BANTARU

have any examples of the Omani Spear or spears from the Gulf Regions/Yemen survived to date?

Salaams BANTARU ~ There is one only in the "Richardson and Dorr" reference book on Omani artifacts. The spear fell into demise because of the advent of gunpowder..it also failed to make the grade because the much easier to carry sword and khanjar did. It was a matter of simple practicality and there was no contest since rifles simply superceded spears.

If I get the chance I will open a thread on Omani Spears later...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by BANTARU

have any examples of the Omani Spear or spears from the Gulf Regions/Yemen survived to date?

An interesting point - I have never actually seen a spear from the Arabian Peninsula region, although I have seen a picture of one in old postcard...

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams khanjar 1,
I dont believe it is "my picture"... since the essence of study so far as I am concerned shines a "forum" light into dark recesses otherwise undiscovered or shrouded in mystery... as this one has been. Thus the picture belongs to all of us.

Your question is about the straight Omani Dancing sword or do you percieve that there is another straight sword with a conical hilt that isn't flexible ? There isn't... There is only a straight dancer so any sword that is described as straight two edged on a conical hilt which looks like the standard Omani Sayf .. (but isn't because its not flexible) is probably a red sea blade rehilted. It may be the case with your #30.

I think a lot of these were floated through Muscat souk but were deliberately put together as tourist items. Personally I suggest that a few could be decent fighting blades and as I have said before even of Schiavona parentage and some from the Solingen stables sporting the Solingen stamp and STAMM STAMM. (See Kattara for comments #228 at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ttara+comments.)

There is a degree of irony here, since, surely a blade that was a fighting blade should be regarded as worth more collectably than say a pageantry and dancing blade only?

Regarding the Omani Sayf; Visitors... some very prominent and knowlegeable to boot including several military ones during the 18th and 19th C have been hoodwinked by this fascinating "weapon" not surprisingly because of its apparent wickedly sharp blade, its seemingly broadsword lethality, the amazing mimic fighting pageant...and of course its attendant battle shield " The Terrs."

We have shown, however, the purely accidental nature of this mistake which incidentally occured whilst the other great smokescreen was being thrown up... that of gunpowder weapons which heralded the demise of the other great Omani weapon;The Spear. That period also witnessed the slide from grace of the absolutely Omani blade; "The Old Omani Battle Sword" which even today holds an honourable place as a fighting Icon with a royal blessing on a redesigned Sayiddiyah hilt.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

My question was NOT about the straight DANCING sword. It was about the straight bladed NON (only approx. 2" flex) flexible Omani sword.
For you to say that these do not exist (para 2 above) is IMHO not true, as many of these are in collections of Forumites, and for that matter respected dealers.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

My question was NOT about the straight DANCING sword. It was about the straight bladed NON (only approx. 2" flex) flexible Omani sword.
For you to say that these do not exist (para 2 above) is IMHO not true, as many of these are in collections of Forumites, and for that matter respected dealers.

Salaams ~ No I didn't say they don't exist... its just that if a non flexi blade has been fitted onto a long conical Omani hilt it isn't a dancing sword... its a mixture of another blade on an Omani long hilt... probably a Red Sea variant ...and quite likely to have been so fitted for commercial reasons...not least the tourism market.( Muscat has been doing that since 1970) I can prove, because I know the people who have done the conversions, that hundreds or probably thousands of these mixes have been sold via Muscat main souk to Tourists from all over the world.

Anyone so inclined could technically fit any blade from anywhere onto Omani long hilts but that wouldn't make them an Omani dancing sword ... insofar as swords are concerned the breed is not interchangeable simply by adding a long Omani Hilt.

To be clear; if the blade is non flexible and fitted to an Omani long hilt the indicators are it is not a dancing blade and that no such interim sword exists except by this accident of cross breeding caused by commercial exploitation in the market...

The whole point about flexibility is in the reason for its very existence and invention as a pageantry only sword.

Whilst my letter is about 50 years too late I am afraid that it is also not my fault ~ such is life ~ as I have already pointed out the provenance on such a blade could well exceed the importance of a mere dancing sword and could even be Schiavona or as in the case of the weapon at Kattara for comments #149 a much rarer Algerian weapon the stamp of which is shown to be Algerian at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ttara+comments

There is always the strong possibility that these stiffer blades are related to Mamluk style.

You in fact have a sword with the similar dimensions of such a possibility and could it not masquerade as an Omani Dancing Sword if it was on a long Omani Hilt ? ... see #81 at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ttara+comments

In respect of your respected dealers comment I really am at a loss on how to respond since it would never be my aim to go against anything a respected dealer might think...oh wait a mo... I am a respected dealer... so if I may respond with some experience; The truth of this matter is;

The Omani Dancing Sword... The Straight Omani Sayf ... Dancing and pageants only. Specially invented as the current Dynastys sword of Salutation and Pageantry since 1744. Not for fighting.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.