Most of the swordmakers in Georgia/Southern Russia and "Daghestan" area in the second half of the 19th century were ethnic Armenians. Many Turkish swords with "Latin" inscriptions (usually, military patterns of 19th cen) also often carry Armenian names. Armenians were THE artisans of the Ottoman Asia Minor and the Caucasus (I guess, Persia as well.....)
There are very few examples of truly Armenian weaponry, and one needs to be very cautious in assigning a particular sword to the "Armenian" group. The only acceptable evidence is Armenian lettering. Even Armenian name per se may not be enough: Geurk Purunsuzov worked in Akhaltsikhe (Georgia), created truly astonishing Georgian swords, kindjals and shashkas and signed them mostly in Russian. Was he an Armenian master? Ethnically yes, culturally no.
Thus, Tirri's example is Armenian (although I fail to appreciate it's importance...), but this one.. Who knows?
|