The Omani Battle Sword. Sayf Yamaani.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

The Sayf Yamaani .

I wondered if anyone had seen anything older in reference to the weapon style being hunted down ...The style similar to the above al Harriri depictions at post 98 of about a thousand years ago like for example shown clearly on the battle scene below… probably a reconnaissance group on the hoof at the battle of Badr in 624 CE.


The Muslim warrior on the right of the mounted group has his sword in the traditional high mount on a sling at the shoulder or neck. It appears to be a straight bladed weapon but on inspection under magnification the hilt is a bulbous pommel and seems to be Sayf Yamaani in form.

This infers that the weapon style was in common use and would have accompanied delegations spreading the religion to wider regions and entirely underpins its transition as The Ibaathi Sword of Oman where it must have entered the historical record in Oman in 751AD with their leader Ibn Julanda etc etc

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

This Sayf Yamaani has resurfaced from the client who procured it here many years ago and it is now in Australia.

I occasionally see these hilts with a zig zag decoration as shown accompanied by a couple of parallel lines simply placed below. The hilt showing under the leather grip is hexagonal and of two parts riveted through a wooden core.

The Example in The Al Ain Museum is shown to compare the zig zag on the hilt and to note a possible use of decorative anchor points for adornment in this case two silver studs....often empty.