Ham,
I do not have a copy of "Baburname" handy; can you check yours and post here the exact description of the Circassian sword from there? That will be very useful, especially if it does not sound like a Shashka.As to the migrating and well-paid artsans, people rarely migrated ouside the tribe and on their own volition in those times. Usually, the whole tribe tried to escape the invaders or the coqueror moved prisoners of war/artisans into his land. There they became a part of local population but brought new techniques and patterns. Sure, they were paid, but at least the first generation was home-sick....
Of course, Circas (whatever it was) was a "trademark", just like Karabela, Ordynka and Ormianka in Poland, Mameluke in Europe etc, but, just like those, it must have reflected some original tradition and pattern.
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