An Uzbek pichaq for comment and request for translation of inscription

ariel · 8th June 2020, 12:09 PM

Yes, 1279.
If so, it is 1862-63 Gregorian.

High class knife, congratulations.
In that part of the world sophisticated weapons were made more likely by Tajiks. The great Khanates were gradually conquered by nomadic Mongols starting in the 11th century. However, the conquered urban populations were highly cultured native Persia- related Tajiks who were the professionals. If so, the master would likely called this knife a Kord. Wootz blade suggests Persian tradition and Ann Feuerbach found archeological evidence of wootz production in the area.
The entire area was conquered by the Russians in 1864-68. Yours may be one of the latest examples of the pre-conquest era.
For some reasons we attribute local weapons to Bukhara, but forget about other great centers: Khorezm, Samarkand, Khiva, Kokand. There must have been local differences in decoration, but we have no good way of distinguishing between them. The inscription pinpoints it to Kokand.

Splendid example!

8th June 2020, 12:09 PM	#7
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Yes, 1279. If so, it is 1862-63 Gregorian. High class knife, congratulations. In that part of the world sophisticated weapons were made more likely by Tajiks. The great Khanates were gradually conquered by nomadic Mongols starting in the 11th century. However, the conquered urban populations were highly cultured native Persia- related Tajiks who were the professionals. If so, the master would likely called this knife a Kord. Wootz blade suggests Persian tradition and Ann Feuerbach found archeological evidence of wootz production in the area. The entire area was conquered by the Russians in 1864-68. Yours may be one of the latest examples of the pre-conquest era. For some reasons we attribute local weapons to Bukhara, but forget about other great centers: Khorezm, Samarkand, Khiva, Kokand. There must have been local differences in decoration, but we have no good way of distinguishing between them. The inscription pinpoints it to Kokand. Splendid example!