THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MOROCCAN AND A ZANZIBARI NIMCHA.

[Jim McDougall]

Interestingly, the Omani 'kattara' (another collector oriented term, these are simply termed, again, sa'if). The curved blade version of these open hilts of somewhat flattened cylindrical style are actually the 'kattara', and these are usually with German trade blades.

The open hilt broadswords regarded as kattara over the years with the rounded tip are typically with very thin, flexible blades as used in the traditional dance ceremonies...however these were popular with Omani merchants and prominent figures as status aligned accoutrements, these often had trade blades.

In Burton (1884) these 'kattara' open hilt swords are noted as 'Zanzibar' swords, just as listed in Demmin (1877), however they are profoundly Omani and found in the Omani ruled Sultanate of Zanzibar.

Its great you have the Elgood book coming! It is one of the few references which direct us through the mysteries of Arabian arms, and Robert Elgood is one of the most tenacious and thorough researchers.

The Moroccan (Maghrebi) version of these sa'ifs indeed used all manner of trade blades. These have even been found with ANDREA FERARA broadsword blades and other European examples. These were long termed (incorrectly) 'nimcha' which has become a colloquially used term for them.

The 'Zanzibar' type of Arab sa'if as discussed, was present in Zanzibar in degree, much as were many forms, as this was a busy trade entrepot. However while there are some examples with motif distinguishing the Zanzibar location, others are simply corresponding to hilt forms known from western India into the Arab sphere. As noted, the trade blades into Ethiopia (then Abyssinia) often filtered into trade centers in Aden and Yemen. It is not surprising to see them on various type hilts.

The Ethiopian shotels with straight blades, like most of these trade blade variations had different fullering in accord with which suppliers were providing them. There were mostly British with many German types. Many of these blades coming into Harar to Armenian merchants were inscribed with Amharic inscriptions and Lion of Judah, so often Arabian swords from Yemen are found with these. The term gurade typically typically refers to European style stirrup hilt sabers provided into Ethiopian military strata.

Thank you for the note on the red over silver banding. Elgood notes this as a Hadhramati characteristic coming from swords mounted in Hyderabad India in accord with their mercenary forces active there. These kinds of styles found as far as SE Asia, and even Central Asia (Uzbekistan) are often found in the Indian subcontinent conduit. A distinctly Arab feature however in the silver work is the element known as the aghrab (=scorpion), which aligns with the evil eye superstitions.

In pics:
An Omani 'dance' sa'if as used in Zanzibar Funoon ceremony. These have commonly become known as 'kattara'.
Next is likely a Manding saber from Mali, but this is remarkably similar to the curved sabers also from Zanzibar which are actually deemed 'kattara' by the Omanis. These are noted to often have German 'cavalry' blades.
It is interesting to see the similarity of the cylindrical hilt of Manding sabers with this type of pommel........trade caravans westward which often had Zanzibar origins traveled through the interior carrying Omani influences into the Sahara, especially Timbuktu (Mali). Here eastward influences from as far as Morocco interacted traveling eastward back to Zanzibar.
Moroccan s'boula are known in Zanzibar (Burton calls them Zanzibar swords), so the cross diffusion of these weapons is certainly viable.

[TVV]

Werecow, this is a really nice Zanzibari, or probably more appropriately, East African saif. Great to see it complete with its wooden scabbard. It is interesting that these swords almost never have any blade marks.

I know nimcha refers to the overall sword size, but since I do not have a better word to describe this hilt type, I will keep using the term "nimcha" here. When it comes to the difference between Maghrebi, Arab and East African nimcha hilts, the shape of the grip and especially the angle at which the pommel is tilted is in my experience more important in determining the area of origin than the presence or lack of a guard ring. Some Maghrebi examples, especially earlier ones have a guard ring. Then there are some examples from Oman/Zanzibar and the Comoros without a guard ring at all.

Here are my few examples, of which the one with the straight, single edged blade has no guard ring and a sort of a "crab claw" like guard instead.

[werecow]

I think that's actually the first nimcha/saif I've seen with a backsword blade! Very interesting. EDIT: Actually, there are a couple on the first pages of this very thread! My memory is not great. }|:oP

I've seen a few of the Manding swords with straight blades as well. Sometimes it's easy to get them confused, especially when they are not the kind with the bulbous scabbards. Case in point:



Contrast with:

[Peter Hudson]

And as a gentle bump to bring this thread into focuss with details being looked at in other related work including Nimcha, Moplah, Karabela Kasthane, etc etc...