Omani Sayf/Saif

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

I wondered when we would get to the Maasi Seme. The conical hilt seems to alter to a shape sloping towards the pommel (more like the Omani hilt we are discussing) as we move into the 20th century from the examples I have seen. I don't know how much the Maasi were raided. I know there are lots of big, old bobo trees that are said to have been seeds planted (well more the seeds were spit into piles like watermelon) by Arab traders camping in the Maasi's neighbors' (Taita) land. I was told that the Arabs would both trade and raid depending on mood and profit. Kind of like land Vikings.

Exactly thats been kinda the elephant in the room. While there were ancient sword hilt forms in the Meditteranean that were well known in Arab context, and in many ways the Abbasid broadsword had characteristics that are seen on numerous 'conical' hilts, we cannot disregard similar forms extant in Africa.
The squared pommel is of course most well known, however there are examples of the 'minaret' style peaked pommels(as seen on the Ibathi swords of interior Nizwa in Oman), also many have the 'cuff' extending over the blade below the hilt.

I am not sure when the 'seme' originated, but it seems a dramatic coincidence it uses similar open hilt style and broadsword blade.

I would note here that influences traveled far via trade networks, and if we go farther west into the Sahara (recalling the Moroccan weapons which arrived as far east as Zanzibar)....think of the Manding saber of Mali.
Open hilt!! curved blade (as on kittareh).
The Manding were controlling trade factors in these regions.
We have already noted the open hilt broadswords of Sierra Leone and the western sector of Africa's slave trade. I have even seen these with 'kaskara' blades.
In the Sahara, even the Tuareg tribes had a curved blade version of their takouba known as 'aljuinar'. It seems plausible these were somewhat influenced by curved kittareh, and there was ready access to French military and other European blades.

Attached, the Manding saber of Mali; an Omani 'kittareh; the Omani sayf with conical hilt; the Maasai 'seme' .

The Maasai who are of course situated in Kenya, did move into Tanzania to the south, which was of course where Zanzibar groups were traversing these regions into those of the Congo.
While the seme traditionally has a more flared blade (almost spatulate) it is still a broadsword and clearly with open hilt, which does not seem to compromise its use. These are used in hunting, utility, etc.

Here I include the Omani sayf for context, showing that its form and these counterparts have intriguing similarities important and pertinent to its discussion.