Period Photos of People with Ethnographic Arms

[ariel]

Originally Posted by kronckew

....he can't be comfortable. how the heck can he draw that sword....)

This is a very interesting sword. We do not know its original name, but are just using "Kabiani Khmali": sword with a skirt ( see the scabbard), supposedly indigenous to Svanetia and Imeretia. This is the earliest known example of a guard-less Caucasian sword, likely one of a predecessors of shashka. Its handle was strongly angled toward the edge, just a tad short of a pistol grip. One possibility of such a construction is its potential use as both a stabbing and a slashing weapon. Also see the famous sword of Charles the Great.

One can read a paper by Bakradze and Kiziria here:

http://historical-weapons.com/wp-con...ze-Kiziria.pdf

The kindjal of the other warrior is also interesting: its pommel is square, reminiscing classical Gurian examples.