Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

ariel · 16th May 2019, 03:38 AM

I understand the reason why you attribute them ( qaddara in particular) to Georgia: duck heads. It is a good observation, but this detail was used in Persia as well. Kirill Rivkin taught us that qaddara originated in Azerbaijan, South Caucasus, and migrated from there to Iran to be used primarily as a ceremonial implement during Ashura processions. I also remember reading somewhere that they might have been used by village policemen.

There is a very similar weapon in Eastern Georgia ( Kakheti), a short sword made of a broken saber blade: Sabarkali. It also had a “ kindjal” handle. It would not be out of court that Kakheti Sabarkali was a predecessor of the Azeri and, subsequently, the Iranian qaddara.
Here is the address of a paper about Sabarkali’s cousin: Khevsurian Dashna by a great guy from Georgia, Vakhtang Kiziria, who taught us about rare Georgian weapons.

http://www.academia.edu/1917231/Khevsuruli_dashna

Also, go to Search and type Dashna. I showed there my Kakhetian Sabarkali.

16th May 2019, 03:38 AM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I understand the reason why you attribute them ( qaddara in particular) to Georgia: duck heads. It is a good observation, but this detail was used in Persia as well. Kirill Rivkin taught us that qaddara originated in Azerbaijan, South Caucasus, and migrated from there to Iran to be used primarily as a ceremonial implement during Ashura processions. I also remember reading somewhere that they might have been used by village policemen. There is a very similar weapon in Eastern Georgia ( Kakheti), a short sword made of a broken saber blade: Sabarkali. It also had a “ kindjal” handle. It would not be out of court that Kakheti Sabarkali was a predecessor of the Azeri and, subsequently, the Iranian qaddara. Here is the address of a paper about Sabarkali’s cousin: Khevsurian Dashna by a great guy from Georgia, Vakhtang Kiziria, who taught us about rare Georgian weapons. http://www.academia.edu/1917231/Khevsuruli_dashna Also, go to Search and type Dashna. I showed there my Kakhetian Sabarkali.