DESERT BLADE
Scimitar
A scimitar (/ˈsɪmᵻtər/ or /ˈsɪmᵻtɑːr/)[1] is a backsword or sabre with a curved blade, originating in the Middle East.
The curved sword or "scimitar" was widespread throughout the Middle East from at least the Ottoman period, with early examples dating toAbbasid era (9th century) Khurasan.[2][verification needed] The type harks back to the makhaira type of antiquity, but the Arabic term saif is probably from the same source as Greek xiphos (the straight, double-edged sword of Greek antiquity). The Persian sword now called "shamshir" appears by the 12th century and was popularized in Persia by the early 16th century, and had a "relative" in the Mughal Empire (the talwar).
A typical 19th-century Afghan pulwar.
| |
| Type | Sword |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Middle East |
| Specifications | |
| Blade type | single-edged, curved blade |
A scimitar (/ˈsɪmᵻtər/ or /ˈsɪmᵻtɑːr/)[1] is a backsword or sabre with a curved blade, originating in the Middle East.
The curved sword or "scimitar" was widespread throughout the Middle East from at least the Ottoman period, with early examples dating toAbbasid era (9th century) Khurasan.[2][verification needed] The type harks back to the makhaira type of antiquity, but the Arabic term saif is probably from the same source as Greek xiphos (the straight, double-edged sword of Greek antiquity). The Persian sword now called "shamshir" appears by the 12th century and was popularized in Persia by the early 16th century, and had a "relative" in the Mughal Empire (the talwar).
Names[edit]
The name is thought to be derived from the Persian word shamshērwhich literally means “paw claw,” due to its long, curved design. The word has been translated through many languages to end at scimitar. In the Early Middle Ages, the Turkic people of Central Asia came into contact with Middle Eastern civilizations through their shared Islamic faith. Turkic Ghilman slave-soldiers serving under the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates introduced "kilij" type sabers to all of the other Middle Eastern cultures. Previously, Arabs and Persians used straight-bladed swords such as the earlier types of the Arab saif, takoba and kaskara.
During Islamization of the Turks, the kilij became more and more popular in the İslamic armies. When the Seljuk Empire invaded Persia and became the first Turkic Muslim political power in Western Asia, kilij became the dominant sword form. The Iranian shamshir was created during the Turkic Seljuk Empire period of Iran.
The term saif in Arabic can refer to any Middle Eastern (or North African, South Asian) curved sword. The Arabic word might be derived from the ancient Greek xiphos, but not necessarily as it may have entered Arabic from another source, as both saif and xiphos go back to an old (Bronze Age) Wanderwort of the eastern Mediterranean, of unknown ultimate origin. Richard F. Burton derives both words from the Egyptian sfet.[3]
The English term scimitar is attested from the mid-16th century, derives from either the Middle French cimeterre (15th century) or from the Italian scimitarra. The ultimate source of these terms is unknown. Perhaps they are corruptions of the Persian shamshir, but the OED finds this explanation "unsatisfactory".
The following are regional variations of the scimitar:
- Shamshir (Iran)
- Kilij (Turkey and Egypt)
- Nimcha (Morocco)
- Pulwar (Afghanistan)
- Talwar (North India, Pakistan, Bangladesh)
- Kirpaan (Punjab,North Western India)
- Shotel (Horn of Africa, primarily Ethiopia and Eritrea)
Morphology[edit]
The curved sword, the sabre, is called muhaddab in Arabia and came into use after the Turkish Seljuk migration from Central Asia to Anatolia in the 11th century, popularizing the pre-existing Byzantine sabre designs for cavalry use, which influenced the entire region. The word shamshir is Persian and refers to a straight-edged sword as well as to a curved-edged sword, depending on the era of usage.
The Indian talwar is a sword similar to the shamshir, with the exception of a broader blade, mild curve and a disk shaped pommel which provides a very secure grip. The sword is made from very hard wootz steel. The word "tulwar" literally means "sword" in Urdu/Hindi. The tulwar is unusual in that it can be used for thrusting as well as cutting.
The kilij is a scimitar used by the Turks and the Ottoman Empire; it appeared around the 15th century. The kilij is a unique kind of scimitar that has a slight taper down the straight of the blade until the last third of the sword, when it angles sharply and becomes deeper. After the First Barbary War, a bejeweled kilij was presented to the commanding Marine officer, thus beginning the tradition of granting, to all United States Marine Corps officers, the right to carry the ceremonial weapon as part of that tradition.
The Moroccan nimcha is a scimitar used in the late 18th century, and is usually forged using the blades of older swords, dating from as early as the 17th century, and with blades from countries as distant as Germany. This created a wide variety of nimcha, and almost no two are the same.
The Afghan pulwar is similar in blade design to the tulwar, but the cross guard on the pulwar angles in towards the blade to catch swords. Many pulwar hilts are engraved with ornamental inscriptions and designs.
Use[edit]
Scimitars were used in horse warfare because of their relatively light weight when compared to larger swords and their curved design, good for slashing opponents while riding on a horse. The curved design allowed riders to slash enemies and keep riding without getting stuck as stabbing with straight swords on horseback would.[citation needed] Mongols, Rajputs andSikhs used scimitars in warfare, among many other peoples.
Many Islamic traditions adopted scimitars, as attested by their symbolic occurrence, e.g., on the Coat of arms of Saudi Arabia.
The earliest known use of scimitars is from the 9th century, when it was used among Turkic and Tungusic soldiers inCentral Asia.[2][4]
The scimitar is also used in Saudi Arabia as an executioner's tool for beheading.
Gallery[edit]
Contents
[hide]- 1Names
- 2Morphology
- 3Use
- 4Gallery
- 5Symbolism
- 6Swords related to scimitar
- 7See also
- 8Notes
- 9Further reading
- 10External links
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