Mystery Weapons from Bulgaria

ariel · 8th May 2020, 08:49 PM

Sorry, but somehow I have missed the excitement.

There were at least 2 major waves/ routes of kindjal entry into the Balkan areal.
First, straight from the Ottoman Turkey.
Second, with the exile of Circassians and other local participants from the occupied Caucasus into the Ottoman Empire. From there the “ muhajirs” were dispersed all over the Empire. Balkans, vilayet of Damascus were the main destinations. Amman was established ( or revived) by Shapsughs, personal guard of the king of Jordan is still Circassian, there are Circassian villages in Israel. But even before that, Circassians in the former Mamluke Egypt became highly placed officials in Sudan ( I have a typical Caucasian kindjal with unmistakable Sudanese features). Caucasian influence or even actual trade blades can be found in Arabia proper and even as far as India, where kindjal blades became popular as hunting weapons among the upper stratum.

Muhajir masters continued to manufacture kindjals and shashkas in a typical Caucasian style but with hints of their Turkish origin ( for example, just a Tugra).
On top of that, these Caucasian weapons acquired local, often European, features. IMHO, the brass frame is just that.

Weapons move, mutate and create strange and often charming chimeras.
Kirill Rivkin was correct stating that they may be the most reliable markers of historical developments and population movements.

8th May 2020, 08:49 PM	#37
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Sorry, but somehow I have missed the excitement. There were at least 2 major waves/ routes of kindjal entry into the Balkan areal. First, straight from the Ottoman Turkey. Second, with the exile of Circassians and other local participants from the occupied Caucasus into the Ottoman Empire. From there the “ muhajirs” were dispersed all over the Empire. Balkans, vilayet of Damascus were the main destinations. Amman was established ( or revived) by Shapsughs, personal guard of the king of Jordan is still Circassian, there are Circassian villages in Israel. But even before that, Circassians in the former Mamluke Egypt became highly placed officials in Sudan ( I have a typical Caucasian kindjal with unmistakable Sudanese features). Caucasian influence or even actual trade blades can be found in Arabia proper and even as far as India, where kindjal blades became popular as hunting weapons among the upper stratum. Muhajir masters continued to manufacture kindjals and shashkas in a typical Caucasian style but with hints of their Turkish origin ( for example, just a Tugra). On top of that, these Caucasian weapons acquired local, often European, features. IMHO, the brass frame is just that. Weapons move, mutate and create strange and often charming chimeras. Kirill Rivkin was correct stating that they may be the most reliable markers of historical developments and population movements.