[ariel]

David:

Interesting. So, do I understand correctly, that in your opinion rattan bindings are a sign of a “decommissioned” gun?

PB:

I fully agree. We see it with swords, daggers, blades, handles. The often used example of the Adoni arsenal is telling. Finding weapons from one well-defined area far away from their origin is rather commonplace. Internecine wars, invasions, trophies, trade, mass plunder all played roles in this “ transplantation”.


The attribution should follow their ethnic/ locality features rather than place of their usage. Egerton had a yataghan placed among the Nepalese weapons, a classical non sequitur.


Afghanistan is especially tough in this regard: Afghanis invaded India proper on many occasions, served as mercenaries in Indian armies and bought a lot of stuff there. Wars between Maratha and Afghan armies were grandiose and mutual invasions too multiple to remember. Not taking it into account may confuse historical assessment of their weapons which is a raison d’etre of this Forum.