Karabela



A karabela was a type of Polish sabre (szabla) popular in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Polish fencer Wojciech Zabłocki defines a karabela as a decorated sabre with the handle stylized as the head of a bird and an open crossguard.

Etymology
The word "karabela" does not have well-established etymology, and different versions are suggested.


 * Zygmunt Gloger suggests derivation from the name of the Iraqi city of Karbala, known for trade of this kind of sabres.


 * Another suggestion is that the name originated in Turkey, associated with the Turkish town Karabel, in the vicinity of İzmir, or the Karabel district in Crimea.