Mankova, thank you very much for your kind words, and especially for entering your query here with us. It is always exciting to have these kinds of topics which bring active discussion and often more answers as we work to learn together.
I am glad to have Teodor here with us, as over the years his knowledge and understanding on yataghans has given many here keen insight in learning more about them.
Jerseyman, I believe that reference came from "Cut and Thrust Weapons" (Eduard Wagner, Prague, 1967) but it seems it comes from a number of other sources as well. I was recalling it from research some time ago, so I will see if I can retrace. Some of it was pertaining to the term and etymology as used in referring to various European hangers, and will try to relocate more.
Marius, Dr. Elgood himself would profoundly agree with using caution toward accepting material conclusively as a reference. As far as I have known however, his work has been meticulously researched, and anecdotal material typically well qualified. I know that personally I very much enjoy browsing through his volumes of footnotes and well referenced sources and cites in all of his works, which are virtual treasure troves of data.
In referring to yataghans' origin, do you mean as specifically to classification of the examples in the book as to regional attribution?
I think that one of the larger problems in attribution of yataghan variations and forms is that there are no real hard and fast rules which can isolate them into specific regional categories, at least as far as I have known.
There may be some better established consistencies known to those who have focused on these weapons over time, but as with many ethnographic forms, anecdotal record is often the only evidential criteria at hand as research moves forward.
What I find especially interesting with the yataghan as far as origins, is just how far into antiquity its form goes. The flared disc or eared pommel goes back to Bronze Age forms from Luristan, and of course variations into the evolution of yataghans in more recent times as well as the cleft pommel hilts of shashka and various other such hilts. In most cases trying to firmly connect these features is somewhat tenuous, but always worthy of continued study.
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