View Single Post
Old 4th July 2014, 10:02 PM   #22
Jim McDougall
Arms Historian
 
Jim McDougall's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,738
Default

[QUOTE=CharlesS]This engraving is fascinating in many regards, the kaskara certainly one of them.

I was also drawn to the sword hilts opposite each other at the bottom of the page. The one to the left looks faceted and appears rounded...a form very typical of Ottoman daggers. The one to the right looks more Arabic in origin than typically Ethiopian. Neither of these outside influences would be particularly shocking, but I am fascinated by the cross-cultural sharing of styles, as many of you know.[/QUO

As always well observed Charles! and you are always astute at noticing these nuances of cross pollination of cultural influences. I have often wondered as well about the similarity of many Arabian dagger hilts to those of the Abyssinian shotels, and the importation of these swords into Arabia for use of the rhino horn in the hilts.
Jim McDougall is offline   Reply With Quote