View source for Nimcha

{{short description|Type of sabre from North Africa}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2019}}{{Infobox weapon
| name               = Nimcha
| origin             = 
| type               = [[Sword]]
| is_bladed          = Yes
| service            = 16th to 19th century
| used_by            = '''15th to 16th century''':<br>[[Marinid Sultanate]]<br> [[Kingdom of Tlemcen]]<br> [[Hafsid Kingdom]]<br>'''16th to 19th century''':<br>
[[Kingdom of Morocco]]<br> [[Deylik of Algiers]]<br> [[Beylik of Tunis]]
| image              = Nimcha (Saber) with Scabbard MET DP164599.jpg
| caption            = One of the oldest nimcha on display, with a blade from the 16th century, at the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]], originating from Algeria.
}}

A '''nimcha''' ({{Langx|ar|نمشة}}) is a single-handed sword from [[North Africa]], especially used in [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]], and [[Tunisia]].<ref name="Alexander2015">{{cite book|author=David G. Alexander|title=Islamic Arms and Armor in The Metropolitan Museum of Art|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QS-pCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA179|date=31 December 2015|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art|isbn=978-1-58839-570-2|page=179}}</ref><ref name="Bastide2008">{{cite book|author=Tristan Arbousse Bastide|title=Du couteau au sabre|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uiUSAQAAIAAJ|year=2008|publisher=Archaeopress|isbn=978-1-4073-0253-9|page=129}}</ref> It is classified as a type of [[scimitar]] or ''saif''.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Zaky|first=A. Rahman|date=1961|title=Introduction to the Study of Islamic Arms and Armour|journal=Gladius|volume=I|pages=17–29|doi=10.3989/gladius.1961.211|doi-access=free}}</ref> Becoming popular in north Africa during the 16th century, surviving nimcha are usually from the late 18th century onward and are notable for often using older blades. Stylistically they often bore Arabian type handles with [[Tughra|tugrah]] inscribed on the blade.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Art of the Muslim Knights: The Furusyya Art Foundation Collection|last=Mohamed|first=Bashir|year=2008|isbn=978-8876248771|pages=77}}</ref>

==Characteristics==
[[File:Houghton Typ 630.45.277 - Mulay Hasans, 1645.jpg | thumb | Depiction of a [[Hafsid]] sultan of [[Tunis]] holding a nimcha]] 
Blades on nimcha came in a variety of forms, and were often imported from Europe. Always of a single edge variety the two main forms were either a short generally more deeply curved 'cutlass style', or a longer more slender form that sometimes bore a clipped point.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Catalogue de la collection d'armes anciennes|last=Buttin|first=Charles|publisher=Rumilly|year=1933}}</ref>

Nimcha also have  distinct hilts that sport forward pointing [[Crossguard|quillions]], which end in a 'bud' style. The wooden handles are flat sided and squared off at an almost 90 degree "hooked" pommel. The blade and hilt are attached by a stud located on the top of the pommel. The cross guard will often have a knuckle guard which starts beneath the quillions and runs to the bottom of the pommel in a distinct 'squared off' fashion; on the opposite side of the hilt this path is normally continued into a 3rd quillion.

== Use ==
Nimcha were popular both on the land and among sailors. As a result of seafarers this style of sword was popularized in far off southern [[Arabian Peninsula|Arabia]], [[Yemen]], and [[Zanzibar]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Arms and Armour of Arabia in the 18th-19th and 20th Centuries|last=Elgood|first=Robert|year=1994|isbn=978-0859679725}}</ref> Each of these areas had nimchas which varied slightly in design, for example Zanzibari swords have more sharply bent handles, a finger guard shaped like a "D", and a turtle shaped cap on the pommel securing the blade and hilt.<ref name=":0" />

In Arabia nimchas were regularly used as a gift.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eBoYAAAAYAAJ&q=nimcha+sword&pg=PA552|title=Journal|date=1851|language=en}}</ref>

[[Barbary corsair]]s also preferred this sword,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cordingly|first=David|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i7tkkhOhSo0C&q=nimcha+pirates|title=Pirates: Terror on the High Seas, from the Caribbean to the South China Sea|date=1998|publisher=JG Press|isbn=978-1-57215-264-9|language=en}}</ref> and army units such as the [[Black Guard]] and the [[Odjak of Algiers]] also equipped their troops with nimchas.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/78504.html Photograph of a traditional nimcha]

{{Swords by region}}
{{Africa Weapons}}

[[Category:Edged and bladed weapons]]
[[Category:African swords]]


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