New artifact: Falcata? Shamshir? Karabela?

[Revelsofthedead]

Hey all-

Any information, translation, or history about this type of weapon would be appreciated. A full gallery of the sword (with larger image sizes) can be found here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenica26/sets/810024/). What interests me is the odd pommel. I'm guessing that this is a horseman's sword and the pommel rested along the wrist to provide balance and extra support for the shock of a hit. Also, I plead ignorance when it comes to Arabic, and offer apologies if the images of the inscription are upside down.

Thanks in advance for your expertise. Images to follow:

[Ian]

Hi Revels and welcome to the EEWRS Forum.

What you have is a yataghan with a somewhat unusual hilt. Others here will be able to give you the particular nationality/ethnic group from which this one originated, and can translate the arabic inscription for you.

The yataghan, with its recurved blade, is a chopping weapon used mainly by foot soldiers.

Ian.

[Rick]

A 'T' hilted Yataghan .
Ottoman Empire mid-late 19thc.
Yes , the script is most likely upside down . ;)
Often carried by Janissary troops .

(beat me to it Ian :D )

[Aqtai]

The script is the right way up, it's just too small too read.

Edit:
It's Arabic script, but I can't read it, so I'm guessing the inscription is in Turkish or Persian.

[ham]

Gentlemen,
For reasons I have never been able to establish, Turkish museums and collectors refer to these as policeman's yatagans. This is a typical example: broad, straight ears, long blade of sinuous form and relatively even curvature with abbreviated reinforces at the forte. Have seen one or two with pattern-welded blades as well. They are rarely elaborately mounted.

Sincerely,

Ham

[ariel]

This simple yataghan is likely to come from Eastern Anatolia or neaby lands that were formerly a part of the Ottoman Empire: Syria, Western Iraq etc. For some reasons, they favoured T-handled Yataghans, just like the Balkan nations prefered Yataghans with massive and elaborate ivory/horn grips and corals. Yataghans from Turkey proper mostly had rather small ears and Greeks liked handles with indentations for fingers.
De gustibus non disputandum (no arguing about the taste).