Classifying shashka--a serious discussion of typology

ariel · 24th August 2016, 10:24 AM

True enough.
Prior to their conquest of the Caucasus there were multiple Cossack settlements adjacent to the Circassian borders. This was the earliest channel of penetration of Caucasian culture into the Russian areal. During and after the Russian-Caucasian wars in the 19 century there was a massive presence of the Russian military and bureaucracy there and the cultural dam was completely broken. Russian officers started to carry Caucasian weapons and dress like the natives.

It was an unusual occurrence: the vanquished imposed their culture upon the conquerors. Tsars started to have their official portraits painted while dressed in the Circassian garb and carrying kindjals and shashkas and both of these weapons became regulation weapons of the Russian military. Of course, mass production did not allow the artistic elements to be reproduced, but the idea remained , in case of shashka incorporating saber blade with minor curvature, guardless design and eared pommel. The final result was, IMHO, pretty ugly but both the construction and the name became very Russian.

The very presence of these elements on the Afghani pseudoshashkas betrays powerful Russian military influence upon the emerging army building in that country.

The "Uzbeki" example was just a parallel development. Conquered Khanates were not allowed to have organized military and there was no opportunity or need to adapt Russian weapons for mass production. They remained as occasional examples preserving their cultural military heritage owing nothing to the Russian influence.

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24th August 2016, 10:24 AM	#11
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	True enough. Prior to their conquest of the Caucasus there were multiple Cossack settlements adjacent to the Circassian borders. This was the earliest channel of penetration of Caucasian culture into the Russian areal. During and after the Russian-Caucasian wars in the 19 century there was a massive presence of the Russian military and bureaucracy there and the cultural dam was completely broken. Russian officers started to carry Caucasian weapons and dress like the natives. It was an unusual occurrence: the vanquished imposed their culture upon the conquerors. Tsars started to have their official portraits painted while dressed in the Circassian garb and carrying kindjals and shashkas and both of these weapons became regulation weapons of the Russian military. Of course, mass production did not allow the artistic elements to be reproduced, but the idea remained , in case of shashka incorporating saber blade with minor curvature, guardless design and eared pommel. The final result was, IMHO, pretty ugly but both the construction and the name became very Russian. The very presence of these elements on the Afghani pseudoshashkas betrays powerful Russian military influence upon the emerging army building in that country. The "Uzbeki" example was just a parallel development. Conquered Khanates were not allowed to have organized military and there was no opportunity or need to adapt Russian weapons for mass production. They remained as occasional examples preserving their cultural military heritage owing nothing to the Russian influence.