Ethiopian alternative straight swords

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams Iain ~ I am interested in the influence if any of Schiavona blades on African and Red Sea regional weapons. The double edge style are quite similar.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Iain ~ I am interested in the influence if any of Schiavona blades on African and Red Sea regional weapons. The double edge style are quite similar.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Ibrahiim, double edged straight swords, like the one Teodor linked, have been in use by the Mamluks well before schiavonas.


Teodor, I think you might have something with that link, the guard style is remarkably similar and with these swords I've seen a variety of flattish pommels used. There is a long history of contact between Mamluk Egypt and Ethiopia. Most of it not at all friendly! This makes for interesting reading.


Jim, this particular blade has the wrong profile for a German trade blade, at least any that I've seen. The fuller is too long and narrow. Whereas the typical export patterns had broader fullers and much shorter. The edge geometry is also wrong for a trade blade I think, this is much flatter. For those reasons I am really starting to think Teodor hit the nail on the head and this is quite possibly a Mamluk sword.

Cheers,

Iain

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Iain

Ibrahiim, double edged straight swords, like the one Teodor linked, have been in use by the Mamluks well before schiavonas.


Teodor, I think you might have something with that link, the guard style is remarkably similar and with these swords I've seen a variety of flattish pommels used. There is a long history of contact between Mamluk Egypt and Ethiopia. Most of it not at all friendly! This makes for interesting reading.


Jim, this particular blade has the wrong profile for a German trade blade, at least any that I've seen. The fuller is too long and narrow. Whereas the typical export patterns had broader fullers and much shorter. The edge geometry is also wrong for a trade blade I think, this is much flatter. For those reasons I am really starting to think Teodor hit the nail on the head and this is quite possibly a Mamluk sword.

Cheers,

Iain

Salaams Iain ~ I quite agree and according to the museum in Istanbul it belongs to Ottoman then Mamluke and before that back to Abbasiid and before that to their respected Greek influence ( they were fanatical about most things Greek)... It is related to the Abbasiid weapon to which I link the Old Omani Battle Sword by timeline and design. I am simply probing the Schiavona link in addition.. I hope thats reasonable.
Salaams,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Jim McDougall]

Excellent call Iain! I think I must be getting too cautious in my old age as I hesitated to be that optimistic, but looking at it, your astute eye has pretty well caught the key points. I think that with that being the case this could very well be an old Mamluk blade.
While many of these swords were taken by the Ottomans to Istanbul, there were certainly many which diffused into surrounding regions over time.

All the best,
Jim

[Iain]

This blade seems very similar in profile.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Iain

This blade seems very similar in profile.

Salaams Iain ~ I agree . It looked like it had been rounded at the tip which was originally pointed. I suspect stiff blades like these which are fighting blades originally floated down the red sea and onto swords in Ethiopia, Yemen and Saudia.... Probably onto Bedawi weapons and rehilted onto various others like this Karabela. I see these as being cousins(?) when hilted on long Omani hilts though I question the ability to use as dancers in the Omani style.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Iain]

The mounts on the Ethiopian example are still a bit of a puzzle. I wish there were more photos... However from what I can see I think the Mamluk option is the most likely.

The hilt seems to correspond well to this example.

[A.alnakkas]

The symbol on the blade is 3 crescents and 3 stars, I thought at first that it could be a reference to Mohammed Ali dynasty (Khediwi's) but it could be something else.