Судан и Большой Ближний Восток

246 III. Судан и его соседи patterns are various, often really beautiful (the ornamentation depends on the region, being worth a separate research). The most distinctive feature, however, is the leaf-shaped ending of the sheath, which broadens near the tip and form a sort of smooth rhombus or oval. This form is a clear deviation from traditional Arabic straight scabbards and obviously owed its origin to an African influence (cf. a similar feature of the scabbards for otherwise absolutely different West African Mandinka swords, Fig. 10). The point of sheath is reinforced by a metal chape, occasionally ornamented. 1 The mounts are also characteristic. They are, uniformly, a pair of leather bands encir- cling the sheath, 1–2 cm broad, with an iron ring attached to each — for fastening a strap for suspending a sword. The locket has a form of plain or ornamented metal or leather band. The most interesting from the historical point of view, however, is the way of carrying of these swords. Sudan and neighbouring Arabia preserved an old tradition of suspending a sword from a shoulder on a short leather strap. In this respect this way of sword-carrying is more archaic than the blade itself. In themost part of the neighbouring Arabia, for instance, the straight blade disappeared completely, but the above tradition of wearing swords was re-applied to the imported curved sabres. This tradition goes back to the pre-Islamic period. One can easily recall the famous pre-Islamic poet-brigand ( ṣ u‘lūk ) Thabit b. Djabir known under his nickname Ta’abbata Sharran , lit. “[the one who] car- ried under his arm an evil”. Those who study pre-Islamic poetry tend to ascribe some “legendary significance” 2 to this nickname, though in fact it simply referred to Thabit’s sword, which he weared on a leather 1 North A. Op. cit. Pl. 23a — plain chape, Pl. 23b — ornamented. 2 Arazi A. Ta’abbata Sharran // Encyclopedia of Islam. 2nd ed. V. 10. P. 2. Fig. 9. Syrian shamshir, The Royal Armoury, Stockholm Sweden. Note the guards’ shape