It also never hurts to try and get inside the heads of those who made and used such weapons. There is little practical reason for such an ornate hilt that would not be equally served by a simpler design. so what was the aesthetic that attracted the weaponsmith? Perhaps an early artisan noticed the similarity between the basic design and the calligraphy for 'Allah'; perhaps it was away of avoiding producing weapons whose hilts were also the 'sign of the cross'. At this late date no one is likely to know for sure, but it never hurts to speculate so long as one remembers to keep an open mind and not become over-attached to any one theory, at least until such time as there is sufficient evidence to choose one in preference over others.
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