The Original Dhu'l-Faqar

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by AhmedH

Salaams Ibrahiim,

This is very important, but have you ever heard of Yemeni swords found in the burial places of medieval pre-Islamic Yemeni people; especially their notables?

BTW, what are the oldest Yemeni swords in Oman? Referring to which century? Dr. David Nicolle mentioned in one of his books an Arab straight double-edged sword from Oman referring to the 6th-7th century CE. I believe the book's name was "Yarmouk 636 AD".

Please explain more...

Best regards,
Ahmed Helal Hussein

Salaams Ahmed .. Sadly no I have not heard of any Yemeni pre Islamic Burials but early Omani Tombs are well recorded. There was a big migration from the Mahrib region in Yemen which lasted for several hundred years parallel to the downfall, disrepair and decline of the Mahrib Dam in roughly the 3rd to 6th C.

One report I read of a sword coming from an Islamic burial site on Jebel Akhdar (a purely one off discovery) made a couple of hundred years ago..

Readers will note that it was not the done thing here to bury arms and armour with the dead. The old Omani Battle Sword you may find interesting since its local name is Sayf Yamaani.

Interestingly there is a place near Nizwa called Yemen in part of Izki town ...an old quarter... and it was my thought that weapons could have either come on the trade route from Hadramaut or were made in the region near Nizwa since that was the seat of Ibaathi Islam from 751 AD til today. Nizwa has always been a metalworking area....Copper and iron since they knew the hand bellows system of raising the temperature of the furnace.


My thread refers at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=omani+swords

You will see Yarmouk may refer to the University at which he was a faculty member? Yarmouk Jordan at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Nicolle

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[AhmedH]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Ahmed .. Sadly no I have not heard of any Yemeni pre Islamic Burials but early Omani Tombs are well recorded. There was a big migration from the Mahrib region in Yemen which lasted for several hundred years parallel to the downfall, disrepair and decline of the Mahrib Dam in roughly the 3rd to 6th C.

One report I read of a sword coming from an Islamic burial site on Jebel Akhdar (a purely one off discovery) made a couple of hundred years ago..

Readers will note that it was not the done thing here to bury arms and armour with the dead. The old Omani Battle Sword you may find interesting since its local name is Sayf Yamaani.

Interestingly there is a place near Nizwa called Yemen in part of Izki town ...an old quarter... and it was my thought that weapons could have either come on the trade route from Hadramaut or were made in the region near Nizwa since that was the seat of Ibaathi Islam from 751 AD til today. Nizwa has always been a metalworking area....Copper and iron since they knew the hand bellows system of raising the temperature of the furnace.


My thread refers at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=omani+swords

You will see Yarmouk may refer to the University at which he was a faculty member? Yarmouk Jordan at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Nicolle

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Salaams Ibrahiim,

Thanks a lot for this. It seems that researchers must be as brave, bold, or even as audacious as the European researchers who dug out hundreds (if not many thousands) of European swords dating back to the Migration Period (400 - 750 CE) and the Viking Age (750 - 1066 CE); not to mention the Middle Ages (1066 - 1450 CE). Both al-Kindi and al-Biruni speak of Yemeni Quboori (i.e. tomb) swords being buried with their possessors in their graves. al-Kindi stated that these swords were anywhere from 1.75 to 2.75 lbs in weight, and their blade lengths were anywhere from 30 to 36 inches. Of course there are much more characteristics given in these two sources, and yes, these swords were pre-Islamic.

I would've really loved to hear any replies confirming excavation processes undergone by archaeologists that would've ended with the un-earthing of many of these priceless swords. Maybe such excavations may occur in the near future. Who knows???

Best regards,
Ahmed Helal Hussein

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by AhmedH

Salaams Ibrahiim,

Thanks a lot for this. It seems that researchers must be as brave, bold, or even as audacious as the European researchers who dug out hundreds (if not many thousands) of European swords dating back to the Migration Period (400 - 750 CE) and the Viking Age (750 - 1066 CE); not to mention the Middle Ages (1066 - 1450 CE). Both al-Kindi and al-Biruni speak of Yemeni Quboori (i.e. tomb) swords being buried with their possessors in their graves. al-Kindi stated that these swords were anywhere from 1.75 to 2.75 lbs in weight, and their blade lengths were anywhere from 30 to 36 inches. Of course there are much more characteristics given in these two sources, and yes, these swords were pre-Islamic.

I would've really loved to hear any replies confirming excavation processes undergone by archaeologists that would've ended with the un-earthing of many of these priceless swords. Maybe such excavations may occur in the near future. Who knows???

Best regards,
Ahmed Helal Hussein

Salaams Ahmed.. I hope something will turn up ! ... You know what its like when the archeologists want absolute proof which means actually digging up a body with a sword in his hand!! Any excavated swords that do appear I will try to source... Hadramaut I suspect holds many clues on the old Omani Battle Sword (Sayf Yamaani)
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

PS..May I ask you to look at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17934 as I need to check a translation on a sword.

[AhmedH]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Ahmed.. I hope something will turn up ! ... You know what its like when the archeologists want absolute proof which means actually digging up a body with a sword in his hand!! Any excavated swords that do appear I will try to source... Hadramaut I suspect holds many clues on the old Omani Battle Sword (Sayf Yamaani)
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

PS..May I ask you to look at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17934 as I need to check a translation on a sword.

Salaams Ibrahiim,

I did what I could do in order to read and receive help in reading the inscriptions of Charles's sword. These are mentioned in the thread you linked me to.

BTW, have you ever heard about those excavations undergone in Syria some six years ago? I remember back in July 2008, Dr. David Alexander was telling me about excavations done in Syria that resulted in the unearthing of arms and armor dating back to the Crusades and the Mamluk period. He told me these included mail armor, swords, crossbows, etc. If my memory would not betray me, he said that many of these items would go to the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Do you have any idea about these excavations and their findings??

Thanks a lot in advance, Sir!

Ahmed Helal Hussein

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by AhmedH

Salaams Ibrahiim,

I did what I could do in order to read and receive help in reading the inscriptions of Charles's sword. These are mentioned in the thread you linked me to.

BTW, have you ever heard about those excavations undergone in Syria some six years ago? I remember back in July 2008, Dr. David Alexander was telling me about excavations done in Syria that resulted in the unearthing of arms and armor dating back to the Crusades and the Mamluk period. He told me these included mail armor, swords, crossbows, etc. If my memory would not betray me, he said that many of these items would go to the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. Do you have any idea about these excavations and their findings??

Thanks a lot in advance, Sir!

Ahmed Helal Hussein

Salaams Ahmed ~ Interesting inscription on the CharlesS sword which seems to defy translation... I thought it was Farsi..?

Also interesting is the news of the big find in Syria ... friends brought back from Doha their magnificent catalogue but I think the items are not in that yet... I will check...
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[AhmedH]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Ahmed ~ Interesting inscription on the CharlesS sword which seems to defy translation... I thought it was Farsi..?

Also interesting is the news of the big find in Syria ... friends brought back from Doha their magnificent catalogue but I think the items are not in that yet... I will check...
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Salaams Ibrahiim!

Some said the inscriptions were Arabic, while one said it maybe Farsi. Here are the quotes:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17934

There are numbers inscribed too! Please check!

As for the catalogue of the objects in the Doha Museum, are you sure they have ALL the objects in this catalogue? I mean, what about the items in the storerooms and such? Dr. Alexander told me that these objects were to be transferred to the Doha Museum...so please confirm.

Thanks a lot in advance, Sir!

-Ahmed Helal Hussein-

[archer]

The birds remind Me of Great Indian Bustards. Archer

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by AhmedH

Salaams Ibrahiim!

Some said the inscriptions were Arabic, while one said it maybe Farsi. Here are the quotes:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17934

There are numbers inscribed too! Please check!

As for the catalogue of the objects in the Doha Museum, are you sure they have ALL the objects in this catalogue? I mean, what about the items in the storerooms and such? Dr. Alexander told me that these objects were to be transferred to the Doha Museum...so please confirm.

Thanks a lot in advance, Sir!

-Ahmed Helal Hussein-

Salaams Ahmed .. Yes you are probably right ... The catalogue is really just a series of designer photographs with not a lot of detail and was done at the opening of the museum I think... Any later work entering the museum would, as you say, be put into their research department and or placed for conservation etc... I am not able to visit as its a very long haul by car and by plane but I will see if any friends are going that way...

I had a look at the inscription and yes I noted the numbers but couldnt read those. I also think its Farsi ... my accountant reads it as I put earlier but that may be incorrect... can you decipher the numbers?
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.