| The scimitar is one of the most used weapons | | | | bladed design. The makers of the early |
| in hollywood and a mainstay stereotype of all | | | | Hollywood movies about the Crusades either |
| Middle Eastern warriors. In general, a | | | | didn't know the history of the weapon and |
| scimitar can include any number of Middle | | | | took their weapons from a sampling of more |
| Eastern sword designs such as the Indian | | | | modern Middle Eastern warriors, or they |
| talwar, Arabic saif, Persian shamsir, and the | | | | didn't feel that both sides in the battles |
| Turkish kilij. | | | | should use similar weapons. Remember, in the |
| | | | early days of Hollywood, the most crucial |
| There are a number of misconceptions people | | | | factor in portraying a foreign person was the |
| have about the scimitar. The first is the | | | | use of exotic accessories. Look at all the |
| origin of the design. Many people are under | | | | early movies where Native Americans were |
| the impression that the scimitar design came | | | | portrayed by white men, the only way to make |
| to be through a smooth evolutionary | | | | it clear that they were different from the |
| progression from the Egyptian khopesh because | | | | cowboys was by making their gear as different |
| the khopesh stands out as the most notable | | | | as possible. Similarly, a scimitar being an |
| curved sword design native to the Middle | | | | exotic, graceful blade very different from |
| East. The khopesh was a sword that was two | | | | the stereotypical greatswords of Europe, was |
| and a half to three feet long with a severe | | | | something else Hollywood could cling to as a |
| curve at the end. It's profile vaguely | | | | way of differentiating the Middle Easterners |
| resembled that of a modern fish-hook. The | | | | from the Europeans. Hollywood tends to make |
| blade was sharpened on the outside edge of | | | | it's own parallel version of history. What |
| the curve. The unique shape of the weapon | | | | people don't know from studying history, they |
| enabled it to be used both to strike at | | | | often learn through movies. That is why |
| lightly armored opponents, and to trap their | | | | people of today usually have an image in |
| weapon allowing a strike with another weapon | | | | their minds of the Middle Easterners of the |
| held in the other hand. The truth about the | | | | Crusades swarming over the hills brandishing |
| scimitar's origin is that it's design evolved | | | | their curved blades. |
| from the Mongol saber, which in turn traces | | | | |
| it's origin back to the Chinese broadsword. | | | | The fact that the scimitar is not a terribly |
| The extreme curve of the scimitar is far more | | | | effective design for war is far outweighed by |
| at home among the blades of the orient than | | | | the popularity of it's aesthetics. The sword |
| among the typically straight blades of Middle | | | | was difficult to wield, requiring great |
| Eastern origin. | | | | training to become accurate and effective. |
| | | | Also, it is not designed to stab, merely to |
| The second major misconception regarding the | | | | chop and slice. This limits it's use against |
| scimitar is that it was carried by the | | | | a heavily armored opponent. Regardless, |
| Saracen warriors during the crusades. This | | | | thanks to Hollywood and the graceful design |
| misconception owes it's birth to Hollywood. | | | | of the blade, itself, the scimitar is and |
| The truth is that Saracen warriors who | | | | will continue to be one of the most popular |
| carried swords typically used a straight | | | | additions to any blade collection. |