Kindjal

Rivkin · 12th August 2006, 11:11 PM

I would say circassians and adighe is the same thing; concerning north vs. south, it is like "whose dance is lezginka" - very hard to understand whether choh was earlier than cherkeska or vice versa, just like it is very hard to understand whose version of lezginka was the first one.

Concerning kindjal as being of a purely caucasian origin, I recently started to doubt it. While we clearly see similar daggers in the late Iron ages, I have failed to find anything like a typical kindjal among 10th-14th century weapons of whether north or southern caucasus. It is damn strange that to my knowledge all of the classical caucasian kindjals are of a later period.

For the references for 10-14th centuries weapons I would refer to:

David Nicolle "arms and armour of the crusading era", volume II for Georgia/Armenia and works of V.N. Kaminsky for northern Caucasus. For traditional northern caucasian dress of the period I would refer to the famous article in the journal of metropolitan museum, I think it is called "analysis of a 9th century costume from northern caucasus". No sign of kindjals or cherkeska there ( what whould they use gazyris for in 9th century ?). Looks like a chalat.

And finally - did anyone see the book "Waffen der Bronzezeit aus Ost-Georgien." by Picchelauri ? I heard it is a fantastic accound of arms and armour of earlier Colchi and late Kura-Arax and kurgan cultures.

12th August 2006, 11:11 PM	#3
Rivkin Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 655	I would say circassians and adighe is the same thing; concerning north vs. south, it is like "whose dance is lezginka" - very hard to understand whether choh was earlier than cherkeska or vice versa, just like it is very hard to understand whose version of lezginka was the first one. Concerning kindjal as being of a purely caucasian origin, I recently started to doubt it. While we clearly see similar daggers in the late Iron ages, I have failed to find anything like a typical kindjal among 10th-14th century weapons of whether north or southern caucasus. It is damn strange that to my knowledge all of the classical caucasian kindjals are of a later period. For the references for 10-14th centuries weapons I would refer to: David Nicolle "arms and armour of the crusading era", volume II for Georgia/Armenia and works of V.N. Kaminsky for northern Caucasus. For traditional northern caucasian dress of the period I would refer to the famous article in the journal of metropolitan museum, I think it is called "analysis of a 9th century costume from northern caucasus". No sign of kindjals or cherkeska there ( what whould they use gazyris for in 9th century ?). Looks like a chalat. And finally - did anyone see the book "Waffen der Bronzezeit aus Ost-Georgien." by Picchelauri ? I heard it is a fantastic accound of arms and armour of earlier Colchi and late Kura-Arax and kurgan cultures.