Scimitar

This article is about the sword. For other uses, see Scimitar (disambiguation).

File:Talwar Hindú SXVII.jpg

An Indian scimitar

A scimitar (Template:Pron-en) is a sword with a curved blade design finding its origins in Southwest Asia (Middle East).

The name can be used to refer to almost any West Asian or South Asian sword with a curved blade, and is often thought of as having a ridge near the end. They include Arabic saif, Indian talwar, Persian shamshir, and Turkish kilij and yatağan, among others.

Etymology

The word "scimitar", known in English since 1548, derived from Medieval French cimeterre (15c.) or directly from Italian scimitarra.

The following swords are usually called scimitars:

• Saif (Arab)
• Shamshir (Persian)
• Kilij (Turkish)
• Yataghan (Turkish)
• Talwar (Indian)
• Nimcha (Moroccan)
• Pulwar (Afghan)
• 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian) (Bosnian)

Scimitars in history

Scimitars have a long history. Scimitars were used in horse warfare because of its relatively light weight when compared to larger swords and it is good for slashing opponents, while riding on a horse, because of its curved design. Mongols, Rajputs and Sikhs used scimitars in warfare among many other people.

Many Islamic traditions adopted scimitars, as attested by their symbolic occurrence, e.g. on the Coat of arms of Saudi Arabia.

The earliest evidence of curved swords, or scimitars, is from the 9th century, when it was used among soldiers in the Khurasan region of Persia.

The scimitar in fiction and popular culture

Arabs with scimitars from Boulanger's painting A Tale of 1001 Nights.

In fiction, warriors of Middle Eastern cultures often use scimitars, for example the character Yellow Robe in Journey to the West. In the film The 13th Warrior, Antonio Banderas' character Ahmad ibn Fadlan makes a scimitar out of a viking sword after finding the it too heavy. Also, it has become a stereotype that seafaring pirates favored this type of sword, as seen in numerous stories, television shows and movies. This is most likely due to the Barbary Corsairs.

Variations

Varieties include the Arabian saif, the Persian shamshir, the Turkish kilij, the Indian tulwar, the Moroccan nimcha, and the Afghan pulwar.

The Indian tulwar 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 made from very flexible wootz steel. The word tulwar literally means “sword” in Hindi. The Tulwar is somewhat unique in the sense that it can be used for cutting as well as thrusting both.

The kilij is a scimitar used by the Turks and the Ottoman Empire, and is 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.

References

• Etymology OnLine
• Hawass, Zahi. (2005). Tutankhamun And the Golden Age of the Pharaohs. Washington DC: National Geographic Society
• [1] retrieved on 7-10-09