Omani Kattara/Sayf help with proper dating.

Jim McDougall · 19th June 2013, 08:24 PM

The slave trade on the west coast of Africa and into Americas was a quite independant branch of that also unfortunate business from that which went on with Africas east coast and Zanzibar.
That trade also extended into Darfur via routes inland and trans Sahara into Mali as I understand, regrettably this activity continues in these regions of Darfur even today.
The west coast of Africa into the Americas and Caribbean had virtually nothing to to with that of the east coast in any significant degree that I am aware of.

It is important to remember that the cylindrical hilt swords typically worn as discussed here, were most often status oriented accoutrements worn by Omani merchants. In my opinion this fashion may well have been adopted by the Manding merchants in Saharan regions. While there is little doubt that most of these swords with thier trade blades would have been suitable for combat, much as the case with court and civilian swords , it is unlikely that in most cases they were used much.

The Omani ceremonial kattaras for the Funoon events are an altogether independant group as well discussed by Ibrahiim on other threads.

Dmitry · 20th June 2013, 05:51 AM

Thank you, Jim.
So these swords were like the "kinjals on steroids", so to speak, worn mostly for ceremonial purposes and as part of Omani dress. I wonder if the Manding people also adopted certain aspects of that dress, along with the swords, like the Cossacks did with the kinjals and the cherkeska coats that they took on from the various Caucasus peoples. That would kind of hint on what sword came first, the Manding or the Sayf...

19th June 2013, 08:24 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,295	The slave trade on the west coast of Africa and into Americas was a quite independant branch of that also unfortunate business from that which went on with Africas east coast and Zanzibar. That trade also extended into Darfur via routes inland and trans Sahara into Mali as I understand, regrettably this activity continues in these regions of Darfur even today. The west coast of Africa into the Americas and Caribbean had virtually nothing to to with that of the east coast in any significant degree that I am aware of. It is important to remember that the cylindrical hilt swords typically worn as discussed here, were most often status oriented accoutrements worn by Omani merchants. In my opinion this fashion may well have been adopted by the Manding merchants in Saharan regions. While there is little doubt that most of these swords with thier trade blades would have been suitable for combat, much as the case with court and civilian swords , it is unlikely that in most cases they were used much. The Omani ceremonial kattaras for the Funoon events are an altogether independant group as well discussed by Ibrahiim on other threads.

20th June 2013, 05:51 AM	#2
Dmitry Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 607	Thank you, Jim. So these swords were like the "kinjals on steroids", so to speak, worn mostly for ceremonial purposes and as part of Omani dress. I wonder if the Manding people also adopted certain aspects of that dress, along with the swords, like the Cossacks did with the kinjals and the cherkeska coats that they took on from the various Caucasus peoples. That would kind of hint on what sword came first, the Manding or the Sayf...