Bedouin Sword for Discussion

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by freebooter

Here is one such example in use that Artzi shared some time back.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14012

Many others are available with a google image search.

In 1935 Richard Halliburton mentions curved swords drawn when talking of Ibn Saud and his "four scarlet-uniformed black Giants" at the tents entrance.

Gavin

Salaams freebooter ~ Yes great picture...Must say is that other reference the famous Burton or the lesser known Halliburton or the even less well known Hali-walli-Burton?

I need to try and get an angle on the precise dates of the appearance of the swords at # 1 ~ I assume they appeared post 1948 but began turning up in Muscat main souk (Mutrah) after 1970. I have a few swords with hilts in the basic leather over wood arrangement which were reformatted from this type in Mutrah see pictures below..which turned up in similar garb to the project sword at #1. It would be easy to assume that these are swashbuckling dhow weapons or used by the Omani Bedouin... as they look authentic. Who knows maybe they did use these or something similar?

However sharp and handy these swords appear to be I believe we need to cut a swathe through the myths as they appear. I did it with the straight dancing swords and I will do it with others as they front up.
Its a real shame that Yemen is closed to a visit or else I would go down and bang on the door of a few Sanaa merchants and get some pictures.

Pictures show two blades, the wider with a very meaty feel, European, inscribed at the throat with the sword in tunic arm/hand and the other probably local Arabian, both imported from Yemen, disassembled and remounted on falcon head Omani styles and described as Dhow swords... and given fresh Omani scabbards.

"Tongue in cheek" springs to mind...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.