Exhibitions online

[Mark]

Antonio,

You are so correct about the inter-connected-ness of things in life and experience. I think it entirely appropriate to discuss the connections between, say a Ducati disc brake and a tsuba on this forum. As you have said, what we perceive as barriers in most cases do not exist at all, as they are just logical constructs. Both the brake and the tsuba, though of course fundamentally functional, go beyond function. There is so much in the realm of edged weapons (not uniquely so, of course, but that is what this forum is all about), that likewise goes far beyond function and into the realm of design, esthetics, history and culture.

So often the decorative motifs seen on edged weapons reflect the culture and history of the maker -- directly an expressly, not just in terms of the historic and cultural arc that may have lead to a particular object. Forked swords are not mere weapons to a Muslim, but rather a tangible connection, and dare I say tribute, to the Prophet. Close to my heart, the koftgari decoration seen on so many Burmese dha depicts Buddhist lessons or Burmese folk-lore. They are a medium of conveying lessons in religion and in culture.

As Burton said, "the history of the sword is the history of mankind," and to coin a phrase, "the design of the sword is the reflected design of mankind's soul." Sort of pompous-sounding, I'll admist, but it applies to just about any cultural artifact you want to choose.