Zanzibar Nimchas, a More In-Depth Discussion

TVV · 6th January 2024, 09:21 PM

I was browsing Google images today and came across a very interesting sword, which only deepens the mystery of nimcha hilts for me. It was sold at a Bonham's auction in 2015, and described as 19th century South Indian sword. I believe it is earlier than that, and the hilt and guard have many interesting features.

Obviously, the lion pommel and the grip decorations are beautiful and perhaps correctly attributed to India, as they are unlike anything found either in Oman/Zanzibar or the Maghreb. Members with better knowledge of Indian arms may be able to identify the patterns and confirm where they are from.

But the guard is similar to BOTH Zanzibari and Maghrebi nimchas. Take a look at the D-ring - it has a four-petal flower in the center. This is pretty much the same flower from which the flowers on Zanzibari rings are derived, illustrated with a picture of one of mine.

But then look at the quillons - their ends are shaped as multi-faceted flower buds. This is typical of early Algerian nimchas, like one I have with a brass guard.

The blade is a broadsword blade with a single short fuller and no markings. Interestingly, Zanzibari blades are almost always unmarked, especially the straight ones.

So, what to make of this sword? If the lion pommel and grip are Indian, it would be closer geographically to the Zanzibari and East African nimchas. But it also exhibits Algerian guard traits, so could it be derived from some old ancestor of both of these, brough by the Ottomans to the Indian Ocean?

Jim McDougall · 7th January 2024, 05:44 AM

The appearance of this sword seems to recall the Sinhalese kastane as well, mindful of Tony North's article (1975). The nuanced influences seen in the elements in these compared swords is remarkable, and reflects the trade conduits that diffused these.
This thread was amazing ! and so glad to see it back. Teodor you have really kept after these sword similarities and given us great perspectives on them, thank you!

TVV · 8th January 2024, 12:30 AM

Jim, thank you for your support. If you or anyone else have any thoughts on the lion hilted nimcha and where the lion may be from, I am very interested to learn what you think.

The similarities with kastane hilts are certainly there, and Eric Claude has even mentioned that theory in his recent book. There is actually one more, old nimcha hilt with a figural hilt. It is number 1005 in Buttin, and he classifies it as an Arab sword from the 16-17th centuries. The dating is subject to debate, but it is interesting that Buttin has placed it in plate XXX, among other Arab arms and armor and next to Zanzibari nimchas, and not on the previous plate next to Maghrebi ones. The pommel on this one looks more like a monster, perhaps Makara from the Hindu mythology. The quillon finials are also in the shape of monsters.

Those are the figural nimcha hilts I know of, but if I am missing any, please feel free to add them here.

Gavin Nugent · 8th January 2024, 01:46 AM

This is an engaging look at the type.

I have little to offer other than visual insights that are accessible by all.

This one below may offer further direction for research on trade, interaction, colonisation etc.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24327

TVV · 8th January 2024, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gavin Nugent

This is an engaging look at the type.

I have little to offer other than visual insights that are accessible by all.

This one below may offer further direction for research on trade, interaction, colonisation etc.

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24327

The one in the Met is an early to mid 17th century Algerian nimcha. There is a similar one in the Rijksmuseum that was captured as a trophy by Michiel de Ruyter in 1655, which allows us to date these with a good degree of certainty.

Unfortunately, when it comes to the nimchas from Zanzibar, there really are not any reliably dated early examples. It would have been nice if some Portuguese admiral collected some from a specific battle, but sadly I am not aware of any.

Jim McDougall · 9th January 2024, 12:41 AM

This is kind of a tough one Teo, but I am inclined to agree, this could be into late 18th c. perhaps into mid. The blade reminds me of the blades on Omani sa'if (generally called kattara in modern parlance).
I think this well might be Indian, and there are of course striking nuances resembling the Sinhalese kastane, as noted.

The 'lion head' does seem more toward the Hindu mythical creatures in the pantheon, but the makara and yali are zoomorphically combined forms, with the makara more reptilian or aquatic and though the yali has elements of the lion, the elephant features lean away from this lionhead.

The ring guard which has for some time (since about '80s) been regarded as a 'Zanzibari' trait cannot actually be specifically assigned to preponderance there. As can be seen, a wide scope of sword types prevailed there including shamshirs, 'kattara' and others. In my view the 'Zanzibar' attribution to the ring guard versions of the Arab sa'if (commonly termed nimcha) may have come about when a volume of swords of the ring guard type found in an arsenal in Yemen were said to have been fabricated in Zanzibar.

The ring guard, like numerous weapons in the Arab sphere, have distinct influences from Italian weapons, many early forms carried via the conduit of trade networks.

I was once told the 'nimcha' or sa'if is not a North African form, but Arab and with of course a great volume of these becoming well known in Algeria and Morocco. Buttin of course labels these Arab sa'if with some Moroccan and Algerian sub attribution. I could not find any of these (and with ring guards) with any Zanzibar attribution (Buttin, 1933).

Getting to this unusual example in the OP, it seems to reflect various elements of the Arabian trade sphere, from Ceylon to India, to Arabia (Yemen, Hadhramaut) and with the familiar guard system of the nimcha, kastane, etc. (North, 1975).

The repousse? silver work seems mindful of the work on Arabian (Hadhramaut) swords that were made for their mercenary forces in Hyderabad. The ring guard of course seems a feature also popular in Yemen, though odd with the nimcha style guard system.
Then we have the Omani style blade well known in Zanzibar, and the ring guard as noted regarded as Zanzibari.

Truly a conundrum, but not surprising given the complexity of these trade spheres.

TVV · 9th January 2024, 04:48 PM

Jim, good point about Indian production meant for Arab mercenaries in Hyderabad. This could be yet another example of that connection.

You are correct that the ring guard is not a key feature that distinguishes between Oman/Zanzibar nimchas and those from the Maghreb. As discussed earlier in the this thread, there are plenty of examples from Oman/Zanzibar and the Comoros without a ring guard. There are also examples from the Maghreb with the ring guard. The shape of the knuckle guard and the tilt of the pommel are usually a better indicator of geographic origin.

The sword with the lion head pommel does not look to me as coming from the Mediterranean, and the Indian attribution has some merits, so it is more likely to be connected to Oman/Zanzibar/Comoros examples, but it is intriguing that the quillon finials are like those on Algerian nimchas. The only way for me to explain this feature is through an Ottoman connection. In the 16th century, when the Ottoman privateers were at their height in the Mediterranean, Ottoman naval power in the Arab sea also peaked, with notable Ottoman involvement all the way along the Indian coast. In fact, the battle at Diu preceded the siege of Malta and the battle at Lepanto by more than half a century.

The quillon block, quillons and ring guard are very likely to be derived from Italian (or Portuguese or Spanish) swords, but the grip and the pommel probably came from the East. This kind of fusion probably does not happen without the Ottomans, but how exactly it occurred is a mystery to me.

6th January 2024, 09:21 PM	#1
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,666	I was browsing Google images today and came across a very interesting sword, which only deepens the mystery of nimcha hilts for me. It was sold at a Bonham's auction in 2015, and described as 19th century South Indian sword. I believe it is earlier than that, and the hilt and guard have many interesting features. Obviously, the lion pommel and the grip decorations are beautiful and perhaps correctly attributed to India, as they are unlike anything found either in Oman/Zanzibar or the Maghreb. Members with better knowledge of Indian arms may be able to identify the patterns and confirm where they are from. But the guard is similar to BOTH Zanzibari and Maghrebi nimchas. Take a look at the D-ring - it has a four-petal flower in the center. This is pretty much the same flower from which the flowers on Zanzibari rings are derived, illustrated with a picture of one of mine. But then look at the quillons - their ends are shaped as multi-faceted flower buds. This is typical of early Algerian nimchas, like one I have with a brass guard. The blade is a broadsword blade with a single short fuller and no markings. Interestingly, Zanzibari blades are almost always unmarked, especially the straight ones. So, what to make of this sword? If the lion pommel and grip are Indian, it would be closer geographically to the Zanzibari and East African nimchas. But it also exhibits Algerian guard traits, so could it be derived from some old ancestor of both of these, brough by the Ottomans to the Indian Ocean? Attached Images

8th January 2024, 12:30 AM	#3
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,666	Jim, thank you for your support. If you or anyone else have any thoughts on the lion hilted nimcha and where the lion may be from, I am very interested to learn what you think. The similarities with kastane hilts are certainly there, and Eric Claude has even mentioned that theory in his recent book. There is actually one more, old nimcha hilt with a figural hilt. It is number 1005 in Buttin, and he classifies it as an Arab sword from the 16-17th centuries. The dating is subject to debate, but it is interesting that Buttin has placed it in plate XXX, among other Arab arms and armor and next to Zanzibari nimchas, and not on the previous plate next to Maghrebi ones. The pommel on this one looks more like a monster, perhaps Makara from the Hindu mythology. The quillon finials are also in the shape of monsters. Those are the figural nimcha hilts I know of, but if I am missing any, please feel free to add them here. Attached Images

9th January 2024, 12:41 AM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,454	This is kind of a tough one Teo, but I am inclined to agree, this could be into late 18th c. perhaps into mid. The blade reminds me of the blades on Omani sa'if (generally called kattara in modern parlance). I think this well might be Indian, and there are of course striking nuances resembling the Sinhalese kastane, as noted. The 'lion head' does seem more toward the Hindu mythical creatures in the pantheon, but the makara and yali are zoomorphically combined forms, with the makara more reptilian or aquatic and though the yali has elements of the lion, the elephant features lean away from this lionhead. The ring guard which has for some time (since about '80s) been regarded as a 'Zanzibari' trait cannot actually be specifically assigned to preponderance there. As can be seen, a wide scope of sword types prevailed there including shamshirs, 'kattara' and others. In my view the 'Zanzibar' attribution to the ring guard versions of the Arab sa'if (commonly termed nimcha) may have come about when a volume of swords of the ring guard type found in an arsenal in Yemen were said to have been fabricated in Zanzibar. The ring guard, like numerous weapons in the Arab sphere, have distinct influences from Italian weapons, many early forms carried via the conduit of trade networks. I was once told the 'nimcha' or sa'if is not a North African form, but Arab and with of course a great volume of these becoming well known in Algeria and Morocco. Buttin of course labels these Arab sa'if with some Moroccan and Algerian sub attribution. I could not find any of these (and with ring guards) with any Zanzibar attribution (Buttin, 1933). Getting to this unusual example in the OP, it seems to reflect various elements of the Arabian trade sphere, from Ceylon to India, to Arabia (Yemen, Hadhramaut) and with the familiar guard system of the nimcha, kastane, etc. (North, 1975). The repousse? silver work seems mindful of the work on Arabian (Hadhramaut) swords that were made for their mercenary forces in Hyderabad. The ring guard of course seems a feature also popular in Yemen, though odd with the nimcha style guard system. Then we have the Omani style blade well known in Zanzibar, and the ring guard as noted regarded as Zanzibari. Truly a conundrum, but not surprising given the complexity of these trade spheres. Attached Images

7th January 2024, 05:44 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,454	The appearance of this sword seems to recall the Sinhalese kastane as well, mindful of Tony North's article (1975). The nuanced influences seen in the elements in these compared swords is remarkable, and reflects the trade conduits that diffused these. This thread was amazing ! and so glad to see it back. Teodor you have really kept after these sword similarities and given us great perspectives on them, thank you!

8th January 2024, 01:46 AM	#4
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	This is an engaging look at the type. I have little to offer other than visual insights that are accessible by all. This one below may offer further direction for research on trade, interaction, colonisation etc. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24327

9th January 2024, 04:48 PM	#7
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,666	Jim, good point about Indian production meant for Arab mercenaries in Hyderabad. This could be yet another example of that connection. You are correct that the ring guard is not a key feature that distinguishes between Oman/Zanzibar nimchas and those from the Maghreb. As discussed earlier in the this thread, there are plenty of examples from Oman/Zanzibar and the Comoros without a ring guard. There are also examples from the Maghreb with the ring guard. The shape of the knuckle guard and the tilt of the pommel are usually a better indicator of geographic origin. The sword with the lion head pommel does not look to me as coming from the Mediterranean, and the Indian attribution has some merits, so it is more likely to be connected to Oman/Zanzibar/Comoros examples, but it is intriguing that the quillon finials are like those on Algerian nimchas. The only way for me to explain this feature is through an Ottoman connection. In the 16th century, when the Ottoman privateers were at their height in the Mediterranean, Ottoman naval power in the Arab sea also peaked, with notable Ottoman involvement all the way along the Indian coast. In fact, the battle at Diu preceded the siege of Malta and the battle at Lepanto by more than half a century. The quillon block, quillons and ring guard are very likely to be derived from Italian (or Portuguese or Spanish) swords, but the grip and the pommel probably came from the East. This kind of fusion probably does not happen without the Ottomans, but how exactly it occurred is a mystery to me.