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Posts: 601

Sat 06 Dec, 2003 11:00 am

An excellent Omani Kattara

These swords are reminiscent of early straight Middle Eastern swords. This is one of a few ME swords which has a pommel like to function as a counter balance to the long slender blade. The piece here is really nice and again this is the first time that these pics go on the net and I thank the collector for providing me with these pics.
The wrapping of the wooden handle with intercahnged laces and silver is a piece of art and the blade is probably European with a very interesting lion sign, we could not locate this sign so any help will be appreciated. The blade is very sharp and has excellent flexibiliy.

By courtesy of Oriental Arms

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Manouchehr M.

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Sat 06 Dec, 2003 11:00 am

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Manouchehr M.

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Sat 06 Dec, 2003 11:01 am

Look at the lion sign

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Manouchehr M.

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Sat 06 Dec, 2003 11:02 am

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Nathan Robinson

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Sat 06 Dec, 2003 11:11 am

I'd be very curious to see more examples of this type of sword, as I know very little about it. Can you provide more history or information about its use and function?

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Manouchehr M.

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Posts: 601

Sat 06 Dec, 2003 12:02 pm

Nathan Robinson wrote:

I'd be very curious to see more examples of this type of sword, as I know very little about it. Can you provide more history or information about its use and function?

Nathan

Thank you for your interest, I will quote different sources:

1) The arms and armour of Arabia by Robert Elgood page 17 and 18

"There is also a sword type usually catalogued as Omani (see plates 2.13 and 2.15) the date of which is difficult to determine. HH Sultan Ghalib Al Quàiti questioned the attribution of the form of hilt to Oman, and suggested a Persian origin, possibly Arabistan. The decoration of the silver mounts found on the scabbards of these swords and the decorative stringing under the leather of the scabbard add to the possibility of this hypothesis.
Another possibility is that these are swords from the Omani enclave at Makran west of Baluchsitan. Steingass in his Persian dictionary refers to to the shamshir Khwabandan or broadsword, and a sword with this form of hilt exists, having a straight double-edged blade of Persian steel with a cartouche and inscription crudedly cut into the forte.
John Carter told the author that he remembered seeing a number of these swords being sold in the suq at Matrah which strengthens the case for the swords being produced in Oman rather than elsewhere in the Omani empire. The sword type is quite rare and the silver decoration on the hilts often appears renewed . . ........ These swords are frequently found with European blades, usually German, of y type manufactured in the early 17 century, it seems that a 17th-century date is likely as the starting point for the manufacture of these hilts. It is surely significant that the Portuguese were driven out of Muscat in 1650 and in the following half-century the Omanis took their fight to the east coast of Africa, driving the Portuguese out of their strongholds as far as the Mozambique. Even Fort Jesus az Mombasa was captured in 1665. Many European blades must have passed into the hands of the Omanis at this period, including blades of obsolote form stored in arsenals. The blades found on this group of swords and those found on the straight-bladed standard Omani kattara are braodly the same and the Omani claim to this hilt cannot be doubted. Whether they were made in Oman itself or at some place in the Omani empire remains a mystery. "

Plate 2.13 Omani Kattara with Europena blade 17-18 century page 17
Plate 2.14 Omani Kattara with the silver hilt of most unusual form 19 century page 17
Plate 2.15 Omani Kattara, the iron hilt missing its silver decorative covering, with Persian blade bearing an inscription within a cartouche 17-18 century
Plate 2-16 Omani kattara of typical form with silver mounts and a straight locally manufactured blade 18-19 century

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