Mystery Inscription on Controversial Sword

Jim McDougall · 25th January 2008, 04:15 AM

Thank you so much for remembering the presentation Charles, that was quite an event that evening. I dont have a copy right now to send you, but I hope to gain access to my material soon, and I will be delighted to get you a copy. I am very interested in seeing the photo you note from the Gasior site, which sounds as if it further supports the Moroccan attribution. There seems to have been a certain degree of variation in these s'boula as further discussed in Buttin's "Les Poignards et les Sabres Morocains" ("Hesperis, Tome XXVI, 1939), if I recall correctly, however the hilt as seen here is shown in the 1933 reference, and again as Moroccan.

Kahnjar1, I appreciate your citing the Tirri reference, and I must say that Mr. Tirri did convincingly support the example he held that evening was of course from Ethiopia. His notes accompanying the illustrations (and Moroccan provenance) would of course support the suggestion I made in 2003 that there may have been a connection via Saharan trade between the Jewish artisans in Morocco and the Falashas in Ethiopia, accounting for the presence of a number of these in Ethiopia.
Interestingly, the same premise occurred somewhat that same evening with the suggestion that the Black Sea Yataghan was actually North African, based on an example with some decidedly North African characteristics. This contention was outweighed by the preponderance of these swords that had presence throughout Transcaucasian and Turkish regions.

These are definitely fascinating ethnographic weapons, and even more so is that they carry such interesting history reflecting the dynamics of diffusion via the vast trade, cultural and intertribal networks.

All very best regards,
Jim

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25th January 2008, 04:15 AM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Thank you so much for remembering the presentation Charles, that was quite an event that evening. I dont have a copy right now to send you, but I hope to gain access to my material soon, and I will be delighted to get you a copy. I am very interested in seeing the photo you note from the Gasior site, which sounds as if it further supports the Moroccan attribution. There seems to have been a certain degree of variation in these s'boula as further discussed in Buttin's "Les Poignards et les Sabres Morocains" ("Hesperis, Tome XXVI, 1939), if I recall correctly, however the hilt as seen here is shown in the 1933 reference, and again as Moroccan. Kahnjar1, I appreciate your citing the Tirri reference, and I must say that Mr. Tirri did convincingly support the example he held that evening was of course from Ethiopia. His notes accompanying the illustrations (and Moroccan provenance) would of course support the suggestion I made in 2003 that there may have been a connection via Saharan trade between the Jewish artisans in Morocco and the Falashas in Ethiopia, accounting for the presence of a number of these in Ethiopia. Interestingly, the same premise occurred somewhat that same evening with the suggestion that the Black Sea Yataghan was actually North African, based on an example with some decidedly North African characteristics. This contention was outweighed by the preponderance of these swords that had presence throughout Transcaucasian and Turkish regions. These are definitely fascinating ethnographic weapons, and even more so is that they carry such interesting history reflecting the dynamics of diffusion via the vast trade, cultural and intertribal networks. All very best regards, Jim