Relief-engraved shamshir

ariel · 3rd June 2022, 08:49 AM

Thanks for the new pics. They are much better.
Now one can say with 100% certainty: Daghestan, Amuzgi/Kubachi, second half of 19 сentury to early 20 century.
Why such a latter date?
The Caucasian War ended circa 1860-1870. Until then Daghestanis fought with Russian Empire and understandably did not manufacture expensive weapons for sale.
When the war ended they needed money and started producing richly decorated sabers and kinjals either locally (blades mainly in the Amuzgi aul, decor in Кubachi), or in workshops in the Russia-controlled towns: Omarov, Koshtoyanz etc. Yours is a classical example of a shamshir of that period. Almost all examples were sold to Russian officers and tourists: locals had no money.
Post Russian revolution and the ensuing Civil War sword manufacture there dwindled to virtually nothing.
Thus, the most likely period when this shamshir could have been manufactured is ~1880-1920.

The best book in English on the subject is “Arms and Armour of Caucasus” by Kirill Rivkin. Many swords identical to yours can be found in books by Emma Astvatsaturyan , but they are all in Russian.

3rd June 2022, 08:49 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Thanks for the new pics. They are much better. Now one can say with 100% certainty: Daghestan, Amuzgi/Kubachi, second half of 19 сentury to early 20 century. Why such a latter date? The Caucasian War ended circa 1860-1870. Until then Daghestanis fought with Russian Empire and understandably did not manufacture expensive weapons for sale. When the war ended they needed money and started producing richly decorated sabers and kinjals either locally (blades mainly in the Amuzgi aul, decor in Кubachi), or in workshops in the Russia-controlled towns: Omarov, Koshtoyanz etc. Yours is a classical example of a shamshir of that period. Almost all examples were sold to Russian officers and tourists: locals had no money. Post Russian revolution and the ensuing Civil War sword manufacture there dwindled to virtually nothing. Thus, the most likely period when this shamshir could have been manufactured is ~1880-1920. The best book in English on the subject is “Arms and Armour of Caucasus” by Kirill Rivkin. Many swords identical to yours can be found in books by Emma Astvatsaturyan , but they are all in Russian.