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Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
Thank you so much for the additional photos Teodor, and these remarkably clarify exactly what Antique Arms was saying. If you look at the backstrap of the hilt right at the blade you will see the fixture which is loosely termed the 'calyx'. This is one of the most profound indicators of Central Asian origin, and in this case specifically Afghanistan (look at this location on Khyber knives). I therefore withdraw my Chechen/Caucasian assessment with this new evidence which is of course compelling.
Further I have looked at examples of Afghan shashkas and the profile and curvature of the blade is extremely similar.
What is even more compelling, and remarkable are the views of the other motif on this blade, which even more convinces me that this is from the Nuristan regions of Afghanistan or from that particular tribal culture.
This area of Nuristan is comprised of the former Kafiristan (written of by Roberts in 1896, and famed for Kipling's rendition in "The Man Who Wuld be King"). The Kafirs were subjugated by Afghan Amir Adur Rahman Khan in 1896 and converted to Islam, while the somewhat associated Kalash people of Chitral in Pakistan retain their original animist folk religion and traditions.
The amalgamation of Islamic cartouche (which may be an imitation?) and the pictographic and geometric motif resembling Kafir work suggest of course possible cross diffusion .
I would consider this from regions indicated and probably from early years of the 20th century.
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Salaams Jim, I find this very interesting. The Kalash believe they are decended from Alexander the Great. Oddly they had no alphabet until about 12 years ago. I urge readers to see
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/...125929206.html for a fascinating vignette into the Kalash situation.
I imagine the cartouche to be Hindi or closely related.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.