Pesh Kabz

[Tim Simmons]

The knife Tatyana shows here is most unusual. Not just the blade and handle which presumably belong to each other, I see no reason to doubt a tribal variation. The basic scabbard looks made for the knife even if the chape has been commandeered from something else. What is so intriguing is the metal work on the scabbard mouth. Most unorthodox when you bare in mind the region we are talking about, thier general view of female decorum modesty and postion in public life. The display of bare breasted ladies is very bold indeed if not fool hardy. I might suggest that what Tatyana has is an extremely rare knife from a small group of animist people that live in the area associated with these weapons. Give me an hour and I will come up with some more information. If one had no other idea, the patern of females seen on the scabbard mouth alone might remind one of designs from South America. Back shortly.

[Tim Simmons]

Lets face it knives like this although often expensive are more common than knobkerries. However I think this one is rare and has origins with the Kalash if they still exist as an independent tribe. Here is a picture from the BM with some helpful info and one can always google Kalash.

[Tim Simmons]

Note the reference to the women wearing a horned headdress and the depiction of women on the scabbard mouth.

[ALEX]

This is incredible research Tim !!! Fascinating. I also think it is special dagger.

Ariel, which dagger were you refferring to? Mine is only 2 x 2, not all drive:-)
The 4th dot is not a rivet, it is just a spot on the handle.

[Jim McDougall]

Alex, the term 'calyx' refers to the flueret like element on the back of the blade which appears in line with the backstrap of the hilt. As mentioned, this has consistantly appeared to me a Central Asian affectation.
As has been noted, from the mid 19th century, the demarcation between North India and Central Asia, that is Afghanistan and the Northwest Frontier regions that are now Pakistan were anything but clear. Naturally the cross diffusion of weapons was typical, and if I am not mistaken, the Afghan daggers similar to the pesh kabz were either karud or the choora, both with straight rather than recurved blade. We know that tulwars were often found in Afghan regions, and the paluoar, the distinctively recognized Afghan sabre likely had its origins in the Deccan.

Tim, incredibly astute association there!!! Those figures do indeed seem to be Kalash, and the Kalash do remain as an independant tribe in Chitral. They still maintain distinct tribal customs and traditions from thier origins in Kafiristan and I once had very interesting communications with a group here in the U.S. who are organized to preserve thier tribal identity. The Kafirs were the focus of the Rudyard Kipling classic "The Man Who Would be King".

All best regards,
Jim

[Tatyana Dianova]

Tim, thank you for very interesting information.
I thought that the dagger was from some Afghani tribe with the Persian influence, but the female image was always looking strange to me The seller claimed that this dagger was in private German collection up from the beginning of the 20th century.

Alex, forgive me for using your thread

[Jens Nordlunde]

Tatyana,

Its a nice dagger you have – I don’t know what to call it, so I won’t try to invent a name.

Lovely blade, very nice hilt, but the scabbard is the most curious thing, notice that the women are on the inside of the scabbard mount, so that no one would see them.

Jens

[ALEX]

Tatyana, no need to apologise. It's all related. Besides, we learned something new.