What Have We Here

Michael Blalock · 6th May 2005, 06:23 PM

No, I never wanted to sell the sword. I just was selling a bunch of marginal jambiyas and posted the other sword on ebay to attract attention to my "see sellers other items". This is the only really nice thing I have from my time in Yemen. My family had lots of nice jambiyas and swords that were stolen in the 1970s. They are floating around North Carolina somewhere. Even some stone reliefs and statues from Himayarite and Sabean sites and a Rasulid Talismanic magic bowl that must be an ashtray somewhere. I'm keeping these swords forever.

Radu Transylvanicus · 6th May 2005, 07:49 PM

I am looking inside "Pandora's Box" also known as Anthony C. Tirri's book "Islamic weapons : Maghrib to Moghul" at the Chapter III : Arabian Peninsula showing Omani "kattara" (perhaps simply a local transliteration of Persian "Qadara" should one think ...) and while the shapes resemble this but on a closer examination resemblances fade away I would say ... As much as I hate to be in "opposition" once again I really dont think is Omani ...
Nevertheless the short description goes: "The Omani Kattara takes two primary forms, the similarity being that they almost have a straight double edged blade. The more frequently encountered Omani Kattar has a guardless hilt that evenly tappers from the shoulder of the blade up to a small cylindrical pommel. The less encountered Omani Kattara is a guarded straight blade double-edged sword with short downturned quillions. It has a heavier hexagonal pointed pommel , which acts as a counterweight to the long blade. "

M.carter · 6th May 2005, 08:35 PM

Yeah the Omani kattaras do resemble these swords, but the ones that look almost identical are the ones I mentioned in the book "Islamic swords and swordsmiths".

6th May 2005, 06:23 PM	#1
Michael Blalock Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: dc Posts: 271	Sell, Never!!! No, I never wanted to sell the sword. I just was selling a bunch of marginal jambiyas and posted the other sword on ebay to attract attention to my "see sellers other items". This is the only really nice thing I have from my time in Yemen. My family had lots of nice jambiyas and swords that were stolen in the 1970s. They are floating around North Carolina somewhere. Even some stone reliefs and statues from Himayarite and Sabean sites and a Rasulid Talismanic magic bowl that must be an ashtray somewhere. I'm keeping these swords forever.

6th May 2005, 07:49 PM	#2
Radu Transylvanicus Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 2008-2010 Bali, 1998-2008 USA Posts: 271	I am looking inside "Pandora's Box" also known as Anthony C. Tirri's book "Islamic weapons : Maghrib to Moghul" at the Chapter III : Arabian Peninsula showing Omani "kattara" (perhaps simply a local transliteration of Persian "Qadara" should one think ...) and while the shapes resemble this but on a closer examination resemblances fade away I would say ... As much as I hate to be in "opposition" once again I really dont think is Omani ... Nevertheless the short description goes: "The Omani Kattara takes two primary forms, the similarity being that they almost have a straight double edged blade. The more frequently encountered Omani Kattar has a guardless hilt that evenly tappers from the shoulder of the blade up to a small cylindrical pommel. The less encountered Omani Kattara is a guarded straight blade double-edged sword with short downturned quillions. It has a heavier hexagonal pointed pommel , which acts as a counterweight to the long blade. "

6th May 2005, 08:35 PM	#3
M.carter Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 176	Yeah the Omani kattaras do resemble these swords, but the ones that look almost identical are the ones I mentioned in the book "Islamic swords and swordsmiths".