Afghani? Bukharan? short sword

RSWORD · 23rd November 2007, 02:22 PM

An interesting piece with a really cool looking blade! I always find the grooved spine interesting. You find this among some Indian swords and less commonly in E Europe and China. The scabbard chape is quite Indian. As Jeff mentions the bolsters seem reminiscent of a kyber sword. The handle form reminds me of an abstract parrot head. Maybe I am matrixing a form here but the general profile seems like those parrot hilted examples. Most probably NW India/Afghanistan. An interesting hybrid of regions.

Jim McDougall · 23rd November 2007, 05:00 PM

Very good observation Jeff has made on the bolsters, which indeed do correspond to the Bukharan style in degree which made me think of the Uzbek, Afghan shashka's, as well as Khyber knives. While the blade appears to be of Indian form, the spines seem consistant with this feature on Central asian blades. It seems these in varying degree are on the backs of the immortal 'Black Sea yataghans'

and sometimes on Khyber knives ?

The zoomorphic hilt does seem like some of the parrot head forms that Rsword mentions! and with the Indian form blade added, I think we're headed for the NW Frontier on this one. The pierced work on the chape seems more Afghan to me, and it seems I've seen it on numerous tulwars and Khybers.

23rd November 2007, 02:22 PM	#1
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,093	An interesting piece with a really cool looking blade! I always find the grooved spine interesting. You find this among some Indian swords and less commonly in E Europe and China. The scabbard chape is quite Indian. As Jeff mentions the bolsters seem reminiscent of a kyber sword. The handle form reminds me of an abstract parrot head. Maybe I am matrixing a form here but the general profile seems like those parrot hilted examples. Most probably NW India/Afghanistan. An interesting hybrid of regions.

23rd November 2007, 05:00 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	Very good observation Jeff has made on the bolsters, which indeed do correspond to the Bukharan style in degree which made me think of the Uzbek, Afghan shashka's, as well as Khyber knives. While the blade appears to be of Indian form, the spines seem consistant with this feature on Central asian blades. It seems these in varying degree are on the backs of the immortal 'Black Sea yataghans' and sometimes on Khyber knives ? The zoomorphic hilt does seem like some of the parrot head forms that Rsword mentions! and with the Indian form blade added, I think we're headed for the NW Frontier on this one. The pierced work on the chape seems more Afghan to me, and it seems I've seen it on numerous tulwars and Khybers.