Period Photos of People with Ethnographic Arms

Ren Ren · 20th October 2021, 08:29 PM

In Vietnamese they are called trường gươm 長劔, which means "long sword" or "long saber". By the time photography appeared, it was already an exclusively ceremonial weapon. In temples and shrines, it was often kept in the form of wooden models covered with multi-colored varnish.
Oval wicker shields are even more interesting and rare in my opinion.

dat_man · 29th November 2021, 02:44 PM

Few photos where you can see omani zanzibari nimcha

TVV · 1st December 2021, 10:51 PM

Thank you for these images dat_man. The big photo on the bottom is especially intriguing. It depicts a man of high status with a nice shamshir seated on a fancy chair/throne. The people on his sides have nimcha hilted swords, and the two closest ones appear to have the ivory and gold hilt variety. It is similar to a photo in Hales showing a Comoros vizier with a shamshir and his bodyguards with nimchas. Pradines has a theory that the shamshir in East Africa was a status symbol, reserved only for very high ranking people.

The second row of standing men gets more eclectic when it comes to sidearms with a long saif, a crude shamshir hilted sword and a Western style sabre.

SanibelSwassa · 3rd December 2021, 08:53 AM

Just few additional examples from the archives of Moro peoples with their traditional weapons. Enjoy!

Martin Lubojacky · 9th March 2022, 10:46 PM

Photo by Alexandre Marchand (from the book "African Train"),
around Dire Dawa (Ethiopia) 1911 – 1913

kino · 6th May 2022, 12:55 PM

Kampilan bearer of Dato Mastura, Cotabato. Peabody Museum.

20th October 2021, 08:29 PM	#1
Ren Ren Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Russia, Moscow Posts: 379	In Vietnamese they are called trường gươm 長劔, which means "long sword" or "long saber". By the time photography appeared, it was already an exclusively ceremonial weapon. In temples and shrines, it was often kept in the form of wooden models covered with multi-colored varnish. Oval wicker shields are even more interesting and rare in my opinion. Last edited by Ren Ren; 20th October 2021 at 08:47 PM. Reason: Supplement

29th November 2021, 02:44 PM	#2
dat_man Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 16	Few photos where you can see omani zanzibari nimcha Attached Images

3rd December 2021, 08:53 AM	#4
SanibelSwassa Member Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Sanibel Florida Posts: 104	Moro photo’s that I didn’t see posted Just few additional examples from the archives of Moro peoples with their traditional weapons. Enjoy! Attached Images

9th March 2022, 10:46 PM	#5
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 843	Habr Awwal warriors – one of the tribes of the Issaq clan, Somalis Photo by Alexandre Marchand (from the book "African Train"), around Dire Dawa (Ethiopia) 1911 – 1913 Attached Images

6th May 2022, 12:55 PM	#6
kino Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,018	Kampilan Kampilan bearer of Dato Mastura, Cotabato. Peabody Museum. Attached Images

1st December 2021, 10:51 PM	#3
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,660	Thank you for these images dat_man. The big photo on the bottom is especially intriguing. It depicts a man of high status with a nice shamshir seated on a fancy chair/throne. The people on his sides have nimcha hilted swords, and the two closest ones appear to have the ivory and gold hilt variety. It is similar to a photo in Hales showing a Comoros vizier with a shamshir and his bodyguards with nimchas. Pradines has a theory that the shamshir in East Africa was a status symbol, reserved only for very high ranking people. The second row of standing men gets more eclectic when it comes to sidearms with a long saif, a crude shamshir hilted sword and a Western style sabre.