Excellent David! A very astute observation, and the thread Michael has begun on North Italian weapons, keyed on the magnificent reference "Armi Bianche Italien" by Boccia & Coelho, is one I would encourage ethnographic collectors to view on the 'European Armoury'.
Here can be seen the key ancestry of many ethnographic weapons, not only in the trade blades that became prevalent in many native weapons, but often in the development of hilt forms such as the kastane and nimcha. There are certainly many other associations and influences that become apparant in looking at examples of these North Italian weapons, which, through extensive trade networks were diffused widely throughout many cultures.
As discussed on the other thread, these eyelash (sickle) marks are indeed distinctly of North Italian origin, though as you have noted, the precise origin remains uncertain. Most opinions consider Genoa as the likely origin of this marking, which was probably more of a guild mark, and as Genoa was the point of departure exporting blades, seems to have made that connection most commonly associated.
In the Maghreb many of the daggers are termed 'janwi' which loosely transliterates from Genoa, noting the origins and perhaps style of the blades, but again, illustrating the importance of the Italian connection in the ethnographic medium.
I am hoping we might see some examples of these markings on the blades of various ethnographic weapons, and other observations and thoughts on the origins and development of the mysterious 'eyelash' markings.
Thanks very much for posting this David!!!!
All best regards,
Jim
|