Benaki Museum, Athens

digenis · 6th December 2013, 04:02 AM

I don't think there is a serious argument that can be made that the majority of arms used by the Greeks at that time were not primarily imported from other places in the Balkans, Asia Minor or Western Europe. Elgood however was limited in his efforts because he cannot speak Greek and could not refer to primary sources of the period. In his book about Greek weapons of the period (OPLA "Weapons"-ISBN 960-7299-00-0, EOMMEX publishing, 1989) Nikos Vassilatos a member of the British Arms and Armourers Society and academic collaborator of the Institute Suisse D' Armes Anciennes claims that the towns of Grevena in Northern Greece , Delvino (now in Albania but then heavily populated by Greeks) and in Naoussa, Northern Greece there was both firearms and edged weapons manufacture (including blades and gun barrels). The town of Janinna in Epirus, Greece is also highlighted as a center for the manufacture of long knives. Vassilatos cites the memoirs of British Captain Leake and the memoirs of Greek Chieftain Kosomoulis (a great source of information since he was a prolific writer). As to the silver smithing and assemblage of weapons I think the numbers of pistols, long guns, palas and yataghans with Greek-themed ornamentation (Athena, Medusa, Byzantine eagles, etc) speaks for itself. Again, not as many as from other places but not hard to find either. I guess someone could make the argument that they were made for the Greek market but here the sources pointing to Greek work are plentiful. It is documented that even Ali-Pasha used a Epirote-Greek silversmith. After 1830, and the establishment of the Greek Kingdom there are numerous citations about weapons manufacture and assemblage in other places like Nafplio. But by this time the golden age of Ottoman weapons was sunsetting (IMHO). Here you see a big array of "presentation" palas and yataghans that look good but had limited functional purpose. As far Georgos Kastriotis is concerned all we know was that he was orthodox and communicated in Greek. If the Albanians want to claim him as their own, good for them. Greece has more heroes than she knows what to do with them.

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6th December 2013, 04:02 AM	#5
digenis Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 48	I don't think there is a serious argument that can be made that the majority of arms used by the Greeks at that time were not primarily imported from other places in the Balkans, Asia Minor or Western Europe. Elgood however was limited in his efforts because he cannot speak Greek and could not refer to primary sources of the period. In his book about Greek weapons of the period (OPLA "Weapons"-ISBN 960-7299-00-0, EOMMEX publishing, 1989) Nikos Vassilatos a member of the British Arms and Armourers Society and academic collaborator of the Institute Suisse D' Armes Anciennes claims that the towns of Grevena in Northern Greece , Delvino (now in Albania but then heavily populated by Greeks) and in Naoussa, Northern Greece there was both firearms and edged weapons manufacture (including blades and gun barrels). The town of Janinna in Epirus, Greece is also highlighted as a center for the manufacture of long knives. Vassilatos cites the memoirs of British Captain Leake and the memoirs of Greek Chieftain Kosomoulis (a great source of information since he was a prolific writer). As to the silver smithing and assemblage of weapons I think the numbers of pistols, long guns, palas and yataghans with Greek-themed ornamentation (Athena, Medusa, Byzantine eagles, etc) speaks for itself. Again, not as many as from other places but not hard to find either. I guess someone could make the argument that they were made for the Greek market but here the sources pointing to Greek work are plentiful. It is documented that even Ali-Pasha used a Epirote-Greek silversmith. After 1830, and the establishment of the Greek Kingdom there are numerous citations about weapons manufacture and assemblage in other places like Nafplio. But by this time the golden age of Ottoman weapons was sunsetting (IMHO). Here you see a big array of "presentation" palas and yataghans that look good but had limited functional purpose. As far Georgos Kastriotis is concerned all we know was that he was orthodox and communicated in Greek. If the Albanians want to claim him as their own, good for them. Greece has more heroes than she knows what to do with them.