Noth African sword

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

An astute assessment Ibrahiim, and it is well established that many of the weapon forms in North Africa indeed have certain distant ancestry from a number of Italian forms. These of course filtered into the indigenous forms over long progression and long standing trade and colonial contact. The form seen here is also termed 'storta' and beyond the blade features note the guard system on the hilt. This configuration is believed to be loosely the ancestor of the Moroccan sa'if ('nimcha') via Arab trade sources as well as trade routes to the east and the Ceylonese 'kastane'.
Other weapon features are considered often to plausibly have Italian infuences such as the lunette pommel on many koummya, and other dagger blades referred to as 'janawi' or derivative (=Genoa).

Fascinating detail on the potential association between Raisuli and the crosses and that is indeed an intriguing historical perspective. I recall a great movie on the Raisuli , "The Wind and the Lion" with Sean Connery.
I often defer from referencing movies in illustrating in discussion but some, like this one, seems reasonably well researched and interesting perspective.

Salaams Jim... This is one of those moments when suddenly the thick cloud lifts and for a while everything seems clear... links into and from European East Mediterranean to West and to Arabian and far eastern weaponry is sitting there staring off the page. Here are the magnetic attractions caused by war, trade, slavery and exploration between West and East. Not surprising that the great conduit Genoa is in the mix. I see now the potential for the Kastane link, the Nimchas, the east west Mediterranean hands of the Genoans, Italians, East Roman Empire, Arabia et al !! I am learning such a lot from this one... Shukran Jim...

On with the show !!!!

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

P.S. A couple of pictures~VARIOUSLY JANAWI(GENOA DAGGER), SBOULA AND STORTA DAGGERS.