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Originally Posted by Norman McCormick
Hi,
Whilst not in any position to contribute to the historical/academic discussion I would like to point out that the quotation used from Egerton page 38, assuming that it has been quoted verbatim, that ' using their heavy semi-circular ended swords with great effect' does not immediately strike me as a reference to what I perceive as a Kukri, large or otherwise. If this was a reference to a Kukri I would think that the author would have said ' heavy semi-circular swords'. The addition of the word 'ended' in this context would certainly make me envisage the sword type that I know of as a Kora , see attached photo. I would doubt very much that he, Egerton, would have used the word 'ended' for any literary effect and that he meant exactly what he said i.e. the end of the sword was semi-circular. A Kukri has many qualities but I have yet to see one with a semi-circular end. I, of course, stand to be corrected on any or all of the aforementioned.
Regards,
Norman.
P.S. My apologies Simon but 'curved short sword' and ' heavy semi-circular ended sword' do not "sound similar".
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Hi Norman, thank you for the photo! I think this is the first tulwar handled kora I have seen! I agree with your comments. Also, the kora blade has a curved design clearly very different from the khukri. Not as if the khukri were a smaller version of the kora, with some changes, but another idea of design on the whole body. I personally believe the khukris could be influenced in the blade design by indian weapons, but not beign originally an indian weapon in itself.
I wonder which nepali historian discounted the article, and in which basis and arguments, and where is the source to read the argumentation. I also wouldn´t work on the assumption of the down curved blades as introduced to Nepal or India. I would begin to search if they were introduced there, or if they were a local invention. The fact that down curved blades from other places are better known or maybe older, does not mean necessarily that the design has only one origin. According with Quesada Sanz, the falcata is a weapon which has its origins in the mediterranean basin, and is not a completely original iberic development. He presents his arguments based on archaeological evidence on the book aforementioned.
Regards
Gonzalo
Regards
Gonzalo