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Old 23rd December 2006, 01:45 AM   #19
ariel
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
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One of the defining features of both Flyssa and BSY is theeir "bayoneted" point, ie very narrow and needle-like tip obviously designed for thrusting.
The same feature can be seen in Central Asia ( see my earlier post
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2695 as well as on the Polish Tatar sabers of 14-16th century called Ordynka ( "orda"= "horde") or Czeczuga ( pronounced Chechuga). Traditionally, this name was attributed to a particular kind of fish (sturgeon?) that this saber allegedly reminds.
Thanks to Rivkin, I got a copy of the PhD dissertation by Nakov " Circassian ( Adyghe) bladed weapons", Nalchik, 2004.
Nakov cites a book by G. K. Panchenko " History of the fighting Arts", Moscow, 1997, Vol. 3, p. 305 that states that the name Czeczuga stems from the "...Tatarian people Chechan that lived in the Caucasus'.
Nakov further clarifies that this is the name of one of the subgroups of the Adyghe Bzhedukh tribe, Charcheney.
This brings us to the Circassia:
Here are picks of the 3 classical Circassian swords ( NOT SHASHKA! This is different!) 14-17th century ( From Astvatsaturyan's book "Weapons of the Caucasian Nations") and a picture of Polish-Tatar saber of ~ 1600 from J. Gutowski " Bron i uzbrojenie tatarow" ( Arms and Armor of the Tatars).
There is an obvious similarity in the pattern; does it suggest relatedness ( I do not dare imply a commonality )
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