Global Arab Network | The Damascus Sword… a Poem of Syrian Steel Written in Gold

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The Damascus Sword… a Poem of Syrian Steel Written in Gold

Global Arab Network - - Mohamed Tamer

Monday, 28 September 2009 15:50

The Damascus sword, forged from Damascus steel, is renowned around the world. Owners of weapons forged from Damascus steel used them for self defense and warfare and took great pride in owning them.

Damascus steel was known in the Pre-Renaissance period. It was manufactured through carbonating steel by heating it with carbon until it is red, resulting in an alloy that is both flexible and strong. This process also gives it its unique weave pattern. Sword smiths around the attempted to reproduce Damascus steel with no success.

According to researcher Nassreddin al-Bahra, Damascus was renowned for sword making up until 1400 AD, when Tamerlane invaded Damascus and took sword smiths with him along with other craftsmen to his capital Samarkand. According to historians, this marks a decline in the craft of Damascus sword making.

Famous sword smiths who made Damascus swords include Abu Youssuf Yaakoub Shamsi and Assad-allah al-Dimashqi. The Boulad family in Damascus was also renowned sword smiths for a long time.

According to sword maker Mohammad Betmani, the original Arab sword had a straight edge, gradually becoming more curved over time, with Arabic grips and sometimes two grooves (known as fullers) on its sides.

After heating the steel in a forge, the blade is shaped by a combination of carbonation, heating, tempering and hammering. The blade is then handed to the scabbard maker, which was made of wood and covered in leather or decorated in copper or gold. The hilt was made of steel and ox horn.

Craftsmen used to excel in carving patterns on it and inlaying gold or silver threads in the blade, including geometric patterns and shapes, Quran verses, proverbs, and poetry. The handles and scabbards were also decorated, sometimes using shells, bone, and ivory.

Another sword maker, Shaker Abu Arab, says that blades are currently made using compressors, then sharpened, shaped and covered in nickel to protect it from rust. Scabbards are made of a wooden mold covered in brass plates and decorated with Islamic patterns.

Arab swords are synonymous with Damascus swords. To the Arab, the sword was more than an accessory; it was a tool of warfare, a symbol of pride, and a venue for showing artistic creativity and craftsmanship.

Arabs attributed the blade to India, while Westerners attributed it to Damascus, since Damascus was renowned for its blackish steel alloy made from hard and soft steel. The Damascus steel has two types; one of them is muted and produces no distinct rattle, while the other produces a unique resonance when struck.

Arab, Persian and Roman sword makers believed that there was a secret to forging Damascus swords, and attempted to replicate it in vain. Due to the fact that only family members are taught the secret of the trade, Damascenes managed to preserve the aura of mystique surrounding their craft.

Currently, the price of a modern Damascus swords starts at SP 300,000 (around USD 6,000) and increases according to the decorations added to the scabbards. These swords are exported to Arab countries and Europe.

Global Arab Network

H. Sabbagh / Kh. Aridi, Damascus, (SANA)

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