A folklore museum in Crete

eftihis · 13th March 2008, 05:23 PM

Hallo, recently i was very honored to inspect and discuss the weapons of a folklore museum in Crete. The items have been collected in the 20s and 30s, have been for long time in storage, have just been taken care, and they are ready to be put in their new display. I am not sure how to start because there many items and i dont know if we can fit them all in one thread, but we will start and we will see...
Best Regards!

TVV · 14th March 2008, 12:16 AM

Hi Eftihis,
Small, but very nice collection. To be given access to a museum's weapons fund is rare, at least in my experience museums in Bulgaria would never allow an amateur to even look at the items they have in storage, the only exception was a historical society allowed to restore a few pieces of artillery. Therefore to be given the chance to examine all these edged weapons, firearms and accessories must be a rare opportunity, congratulations.
Of all the weapons I find the axes the most interesting part, as I have not seen anything like them before. The rest of the items are easy to identify and catalogue, but the most interesting part is tracing how they arrived at Crete. Did the modern firearms and the bayonets arrive in Crete as part of the preparation for the insurrection of 1897?
Regards,
Teodor

Marc · 14th March 2008, 10:59 AM

Congratulations!

I'm also interested in the axes... how are they classified by the people at the museum? Is there a posssibilty for a close-up?

Thanks for sharing this with us

eftihis · 14th March 2008, 02:22 PM

Hallo Marc, the descripton for the axes are "medieval 14th- 15th century". Crete was under Venetian domination from 1204 untill 1669, when the last city Candia, fell to the Turks.

Rick · 14th March 2008, 03:56 PM

It's interesting, I think I'm seeing the 'eyelash' marks on the large Axe .

The second axe looks more like a tool than a purpose built weapon .

Marc · 17th March 2008, 09:27 AM

Thank you very much for the pictures, Eftihis, I really appreciate them

eftihis · 17th March 2008, 12:36 PM

I will continue with close ups for some items. This is an interesting leather case, still with catridges inside

eftihis · 19th March 2008, 06:44 PM

Hi, this is something interesting, a repair of a shamshir's broken blade with an insert of steel in conical shape. But istead of hiding the repair they made it more defined with inlayed(?) brass. Actually the subject of old repairs on weapons is very interesting.

13th March 2008, 05:23 PM	#1
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 511	A folklore museum in Crete Hallo, recently i was very honored to inspect and discuss the weapons of a folklore museum in Crete. The items have been collected in the 20s and 30s, have been for long time in storage, have just been taken care, and they are ready to be put in their new display. I am not sure how to start because there many items and i dont know if we can fit them all in one thread, but we will start and we will see... Best Regards! Attached Images

14th March 2008, 02:22 PM	#4
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 511	Axes Hallo Marc, the descripton for the axes are "medieval 14th- 15th century". Crete was under Venetian domination from 1204 untill 1669, when the last city Candia, fell to the Turks. Attached Images

14th March 2008, 03:56 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,343	Venetian Axes It's interesting, I think I'm seeing the 'eyelash' marks on the large Axe . The second axe looks more like a tool than a purpose built weapon .

17th March 2008, 09:27 AM	#6
Marc Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Madrid / Barcelona Posts: 256	Thank you very much for the pictures, Eftihis, I really appreciate them Last edited by Marc; 17th March 2008 at 09:59 AM.

17th March 2008, 12:36 PM	#7
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 511	A cartidge leather case I will continue with close ups for some items. This is an interesting leather case, still with catridges inside Attached Images

14th March 2008, 12:16 AM	#2
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,666	Hi Eftihis, Small, but very nice collection. To be given access to a museum's weapons fund is rare, at least in my experience museums in Bulgaria would never allow an amateur to even look at the items they have in storage, the only exception was a historical society allowed to restore a few pieces of artillery. Therefore to be given the chance to examine all these edged weapons, firearms and accessories must be a rare opportunity, congratulations. Of all the weapons I find the axes the most interesting part, as I have not seen anything like them before. The rest of the items are easy to identify and catalogue, but the most interesting part is tracing how they arrived at Crete. Did the modern firearms and the bayonets arrive in Crete as part of the preparation for the insurrection of 1897? Regards, Teodor

14th March 2008, 10:59 AM	#3
Marc Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Madrid / Barcelona Posts: 256	Congratulations! I'm also interested in the axes... how are they classified by the people at the museum? Is there a posssibilty for a close-up? Thanks for sharing this with us

19th March 2008, 06:44 PM	#8
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 511	Shamshir repair Hi, this is something interesting, a repair of a shamshir's broken blade with an insert of steel in conical shape. But istead of hiding the repair they made it more defined with inlayed(?) brass. Actually the subject of old repairs on weapons is very interesting. Attached Images