Somali Swords

[Internet Nomad]

Does anyone have more information on this type of sword in somalia. I know a lot about somali kingdoms such as ajuuran and adal but we have very little information about the weapons that was used.

I intend this thread to be a place where we can discuss the weaponry that was used in Somalia at any stage of history.

share images if you have any of Somali weaponry

 

[JackieBurkhart]

I don't know much on this topic, but it seems in the picture below its a
"A Somali billao dagger or short sword, 35.5cm blade, horn hilt, 54cm long; another African dagger (2)"

 

[Internet Nomad]

Such a shame that we have very little records of swords and armour.

i was interested in long swords but its seems there is no native long sword. The bilao sword looks very interesting even if its short.

 

[killerxsmoke]

View attachment 257069
Does anyone have more information on this type of sword in somalia. I know a lot about somali kingdoms such as ajuuran and adal but we have very little information about the weapons that was used.

I intend this thread to be a place where we can discuss the weaponry that was used in Somalia at any stage of history.

share images if you have any of Somali weaponry

Longer version do exist for the sword and if you go to buur hakaba you would see engravings of the bilao swords on the mountain which are 100s of years old

 

[Internet Nomad]

I tried googling it nothing came up i expect it that no-one took pictures of the wall.Anyways thats fascinating i like swords because their so cool and to hear somalis were using long swords in combat sounds cool

Is it even possible to get a blacksmith to make you a sword in modern day somalia.

 

[killerxsmoke]

I tried googling it nothing came up i expect it that no-one took pictures of the wall.Anyways thats fascinating i like swords because their so cool and to hear somalis were using long swords in combat sounds cool

Is it even possible to get a blacksmith to make you a sword in modern day somalia.

U cant find it cuz I found it in a pdf, when i find it i will share it with and the only make daggers now in somalia not swords

 

[Somali Saayid]

I tried googling it nothing came up i expect it that no-one took pictures of the wall.Anyways thats fascinating i like swords because their so cool and to hear somalis were using long swords in combat sounds cool

Is it even possible to get a blacksmith to make you a sword in modern day somalia.

I think the short swords are quite effective even the Romans preferred to use them.
Like the Gladius for example.

 

[Internet Nomad]

I think the short swords are quite effective even the Romans preferred to use them.
Like the Gladius for example.
View attachment 257175

I understand my only gripe is that somalis havent been able to create longswords

 

[killerxsmoke]

I understand my only gripe is that somalis havent been able to create longswords

Ur only saying that cuz u want a somali katana version

 

[Internet Nomad]

Ur only saying that cuz u want a somali katana version
View attachment 257185

im talking about how the sudanese had multiple sword types i wonder if somali had the same.

 

[Internet Nomad]

Are these curved swords native to Somalis? What are the origin? Were they common amongst the lower class or were they a thing only royals could afford?

 

[Hamzza]

Are these curved swords native to Somalis? What are the origin? Were they common amongst the lower class or were they a thing only royals could afford?
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They are not native to Somalis. Single-edged curved swords(Sabres) are from China. Mongols and the Turkic people introduced them to the Middle East and Europe after their expansion and conquests.

 

[Internet Nomad]

They are not native to Somalis. Single-edged curved swords(Sabres) are from China. Mongols and the Turkic people introduced them to the Middle East and Europe after their expansion and conquests.

How did they end up in somalia?

 

[Liḥyān]

I own swords in my house btw, let me give you insights overall.

SWORDS ARE EXPENSIVE.

Which why somalis mostly had spears, and most cultures had spears. Yes the billao is a Somali Sword, but these swords are ranged between 1750s-1940s. The longer swords or the Sabers you guys are posting are actually imported swords from the Turks.


Majerteeni men:

Turkish Navy Saber:

You see a lot photos of Somali laymen with spears, and somali sultans with swords.

 

[Garaad diinle]

Are these curved swords native to Somalis? What are the origin? Were they common amongst the lower class or were they a thing only royals could afford?
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Curved sword originate from persia but after islam they spread into the arab world and became a stable and a mark of islamic civilization. They garner prestige and respect but it was also a states simple. These swords were most likely from the middle east or asia but if you look at them carefully you'd notice something peculiar about them. The hilt design of some of these curved swords looks different.

This is the hilt of a normal scimitar.

This is the hilt of a somali sword.

As you can see the hilt design of some of these scimitars were changed/modified into the crown shaped style of the somali sword. This means that either these swords were made in somalia and were designed to match the treasured scimitar or that somalis modified it to match their taste.

 

[Liḥyān]

Heads up, a soldiers main weapon would be a spear. If the spear breaks, the sword would be his only alternative. Plus the longer the sword the easier it is to chip.

 

[Internet Nomad]

Heads up, a soldiers main weapon would be a spear. If the spear breaks, the sword would be his only alternative. Plus the longer the sword the easier it is to chip.

I know the romans used to use the spear as the primary and a secondary short sword like the somalis.

 

[Internet Nomad]

How come Somali shields are so tiny? Wouldn't they be ineffective against the Ethiopian shotel?

 

[Liḥyān]

Curved sword originate from persia but after islam they spread into the arab world and became a stable and a mark of islamic civilization. They garner prestige and respect but it was also a states simple. These swords were most likely from the middle east or asia but if you look at them carefully you'd notice something peculiar about them. The hilt design of some of these curved swords looks different.

This is the hilt of a normal scimitar.

This is the hilt of a somali sword.

As you can see the hilt design of some of these scimitars were changed/modified into the crown shaped style of the somali sword. This means that either these swords were made in somalia and were designed to match the treasured scimitar or that somalis modified it to match their taste.

The curved swords we know of today come from modern day Central Asia, call it the scimitar or Kilij, These Turkic badboys conquered the whole world with it because its easier to slash them with a curved sword while on horse back. I don't think the Billao is trying to emulate the scimitar in anyway, its a short sword. What I think is its just an alternative weapon when the spear breaks.

 

[Liḥyān]

The Beja Kaskara shits on all of these east african swords if you ask me