interesting Persian item

[Gustav]

Originally Posted by ariel

Many things came to Indonesia from India and other counrties: Piso Podang pommel, Gulabhati handle, Borobudur, and, yes, even Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.
It is certainly possible that these hooks might have been used as rein holders in Indonesia: they will work.
But as a rule, reins were held in place simply by putting them over the saddle pommel. This may be one of the reasons why Islamic saddles had tall pommels.
Here are Central Asian, Turkish and Afghani saddles.

But going back to the original thingamajig, it simply could not work as a sword or reins holder: engineering would not allow for it.

Ariel, no doubts about that all.
Just - the particular item shown in #11 has nothing to do with Cossacks, India, and the region between them. It comes from specific region and had specific purpose, which has nothing to do with the purpose you described to it.

[ariel]

You are correct: Alan’s example has nothing to do with Cossacks, India etc.
However, engineeringly it is a carbon copy of an item in post #22, that belonged to Zaporozhian ( Ukrainian) cossacks that they in turn copied from Turkish examples.
The Indonesians just did not need a belt hook hanger: they carried their weapons either tucked under the belt or hung on a baldrick over the shoulder. I am unaware of Javanese weapons with suspension fittings and rings on the scabbards.

Most likely they just took an item from some foreigners and used it for their own purpose.

[A. G. Maisey]

Not quite so Ariel.

There is a dress style that employs a cloth frog to hold the scabbard of a keris, it it usually worn at the front, mostly employed by Central Javanese courtiers.

I can think of no instances where a keris, or other weapon, was carried with a baldrick. Balinese nobles when they wore their sarung high, up pretty much to the armpits, would carry the keris tucked into the top of the sarung, which when worn high is not worn with a setagen (sash) nor sabuk(belt).

Some pedangs do have suspension rings on the scabbards, many have hooks on the scabbard that were used both as a belt hook, and as a hook to retain a frog.

The reins hook (bankol), might well have originated from a Turkish item, historically there was a strong connection between the court of Central Jawa and Turkey, however, the ones I've shown are most certainly Javanese in style and seemingly effective in the way that are employed. Back in the 1980's I saw a demonstration of Javanese horsemanship where the rider used a bankol, and it worked very well.

[ariel]

Alan,
Thanks for the information. Have you also seen bankols used as sword hanging hooks as well?

But in any case, the original thingamajig does not resemble a bankol or its Turkish predecessor.

[A. G. Maisey]

No Ariel, bankol have a specified use, they are exceptionally rare, invariably high priced and nobody in Central Jawa would even dream of using one as a suport for any type of weapon.

You're dead right, the thing that began this conversation is nothing at all like a bankol.

[ariel]

Thanks.
And the item in question does not resemble a Turkish ( Indian etc) sword hanging hook as well.
We are back to the simple and obvious: it is a moderately fancy fire striker. Any alternative explanations?

[Gustav]

irrelevant.

[Kubur]

Good news guys
It is a trigger and probably a fire striker... Your honour is safe!