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-   -   Khanda, a call for help on translation (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=26797)

Kurt 17th March 2021 10:29 AM

Khanda, a call for help on translation
 
4 Attachment(s)
Dear members, can someone translate this for me?
Best Kurt

Mercenary 20th March 2021 05:00 PM

I am not an expert in reading the inscriptions, but if no one is ready to reply, I can try (due to despair) to suggest my own explanation, not the reading, because the inscription perhaps cannot be read in the usual way.
"VARAK MATSEE" ~ "made from foil" or more precisely "by 'varak' method". This refers to gold foil, or rather this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vark

On such items, often made for travelers, there are sometimes such meaningless inscriptions like "this inscription is made of gold".

This is just my guess. I am not able to accurately read this inscription, sorry... :shrug:

Kurt 24th March 2021 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt
Dear members, can someone translate this for me?
Best Kurt

Hello members,
can someone give me advice on who to turn to for a translation?
Thanks Kurt

Jens Nordlunde 24th March 2021 03:52 PM

Kurt,



The text says 'Varak Matsee'. Varak can mean worked in Gold and Matsya/Matsee also means Fish.

Kurt 24th March 2021 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde
Kurt,



The text says 'Varak Matsee'. Varak can mean worked in Gold and Matsya/Matsee also means Fish.


Thanks Jens,
a strange text.
Kurt

Jens Nordlunde 24th March 2021 05:42 PM

Yes you are right Kurt. It is a very strange text.
I asked the one who translated the text for me, and he could not give an explanation of what it could mean.

mariusgmioc 24th March 2021 06:06 PM

To my eyes, this looks like a late 19th - early 20th century Khanda, made for European collector market.

In this context the inscription may have been added for purely decorative reasons, to increase the marketability of the sword. :shrug:

Kurt 24th March 2021 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde
Yes you are right Kurt. It is a very strange text.
I asked the one who translated the text for me, and he could not give an explanation of what it could mean.



Dear Jens ,
Many years ago when I bought the Khanda I made a trip to Rajastan, there I showed the inscription to an Indian scholar, he translated Badur Singh. ????
Kurt

Nihl 27th March 2021 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercenary
I am not an expert in reading the inscriptions, but if no one is ready to reply, I can try (due to despair) to suggest my own explanation, not the reading, because the inscription perhaps cannot be read in the usual way.
"VARAK MATSEE" ~ "made from foil" or more precisely "by 'varak' method". This refers to gold foil, or rather this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vark

On such items, often made for travelers, there are sometimes such meaningless inscriptions like "this inscription is made of gold".

This is just my guess. I am not able to accurately read this inscription, sorry... :shrug:

As someone that can read devanagari, I can corroborate that the inscription indeed reads "varak matsi" (or "matsee", when transcribed phonetically), and Mercenary's explanation here makes the most sense to me.

Kurt 28th March 2021 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nihl
As someone that can read devanagari, I can corroborate that the inscription indeed reads "varak matsi" (or "matsee", when transcribed phonetically), and Mercenary's explanation here makes the most sense to me.

Hi Nihl ,
Thanks for explanation and help.
Am a little disappointed expected an owner.
But now I am informed.
Kurt


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