A rare khevsur pair

Yannis · 30th March 2005, 07:54 AM

Rivkin

Thank you for the reply. I didn’t post them in discussion because these have to go and somehow I didn’t find it right to appraise them first and then to sell. We can discuss them here, openly with all their good and possible bad (I can’t find any).

The word on the blade is not Chechen. It is written in an old Georgian alphabet known as Asomtavruli. This is not in use since 10th century. Of course I don’t say that blade is that old, but I believe that as a signature or as “word of power” it survived to the day this sword made.

I wrote I didn’t knew the Khevsurs had kindjals. I meant kindjals dressed like their swords as this one. Here is the bladesmith mark on the kindjal and some writing on the back side of sword guard.

ariel · 30th March 2005, 07:55 PM

Rivkin,
Can you translate?

Rivkin · 31st March 2005, 05:28 PM

1. Wugh, the signature on the blade reads Kharanauli, on the hilt reads "G.Kharanauli, slave of God". I had a big problem trying to translate Kharanauli, until ppls said to me that it's just a family name.

Kindjal seems to me like ones from Tiflis, Georgia, can be the first half of XIX century.

Interesting is that the kindjal's blade is a semi-massproduced item, with the signature inside the stamp most likely done in arabic, but the rest of the set is completely different (most likely come from different masters).

2. I've meant that there are some khevsur trophey blades like this one can find in Checnnja, but some of them will be actually chechen ripoffs.

3. I've never seen a kindjal like this, but I've seen khevsurian kindjals - the locally made kindjals actually tend to be very different (they are often bigger and come with an extremely sharp point - "mail piercing" point).

I've never seen a kindjal in such a "khevsurian" dress.

Rivkin · 31st March 2005, 05:39 PM

And - Kharanauli ends in "uli" - which is typical for Pshavs or Tsova-Tushin(Khevsur's neighbours), but can also belong to a Khevsur.

Yannis · 1st April 2005, 09:04 AM

Rivkin thank you for your comments. I also think that the blade of kindjal and the “dress” have been made from different people.

As for sword’s writing, you are amazing! I could not imagine anyone translate this old Asomtavruli alphabet. It is this alphabet on the blade, isn’t it? Is it in any use today, or it corresponds letter by letter to the modern alphabet?

Rivkin · 2nd April 2005, 06:12 AM

Thanx, Yannis. Yes, it's the old georgian, chosen most likely as a nationalistic gesture. It's not in any use today, but it's simple and I actually had more problems with the hilt - I usually have more problems reading modern alphabets/fonts than with more simple and elegant ancient scripts.

Yannis · 20th July 2005, 12:27 PM

The kindjal, together with a similar sword (a more matching pair) is in Ebay now, looking for a new home.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6547655425

30th March 2005, 07:54 AM	#1
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Rivkin Thank you for the reply. I didn’t post them in discussion because these have to go and somehow I didn’t find it right to appraise them first and then to sell. We can discuss them here, openly with all their good and possible bad (I can’t find any). The word on the blade is not Chechen. It is written in an old Georgian alphabet known as Asomtavruli. This is not in use since 10th century. Of course I don’t say that blade is that old, but I believe that as a signature or as “word of power” it survived to the day this sword made. I wrote I didn’t knew the Khevsurs had kindjals. I meant kindjals dressed like their swords as this one. Here is the bladesmith mark on the kindjal and some writing on the back side of sword guard. Attached Images

20th July 2005, 12:27 PM	#7
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	The kindjal, together with a similar sword (a more matching pair) is in Ebay now, looking for a new home. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6547655425 Last edited by Yannis; 20th July 2005 at 12:59 PM.

30th March 2005, 07:55 PM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Rivkin, Can you translate?

31st March 2005, 05:28 PM	#3
Rivkin Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 655	1. Wugh, the signature on the blade reads Kharanauli, on the hilt reads "G.Kharanauli, slave of God". I had a big problem trying to translate Kharanauli, until ppls said to me that it's just a family name. Kindjal seems to me like ones from Tiflis, Georgia, can be the first half of XIX century. Interesting is that the kindjal's blade is a semi-massproduced item, with the signature inside the stamp most likely done in arabic, but the rest of the set is completely different (most likely come from different masters). 2. I've meant that there are some khevsur trophey blades like this one can find in Checnnja, but some of them will be actually chechen ripoffs. 3. I've never seen a kindjal like this, but I've seen khevsurian kindjals - the locally made kindjals actually tend to be very different (they are often bigger and come with an extremely sharp point - "mail piercing" point). I've never seen a kindjal in such a "khevsurian" dress.

31st March 2005, 05:39 PM	#4
Rivkin Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 655	And - Kharanauli ends in "uli" - which is typical for Pshavs or Tsova-Tushin(Khevsur's neighbours), but can also belong to a Khevsur.

1st April 2005, 09:04 AM	#5
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Rivkin thank you for your comments. I also think that the blade of kindjal and the “dress” have been made from different people. As for sword’s writing, you are amazing! I could not imagine anyone translate this old Asomtavruli alphabet. It is this alphabet on the blade, isn’t it? Is it in any use today, or it corresponds letter by letter to the modern alphabet?

2nd April 2005, 06:12 AM	#6
Rivkin Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 655	Thanx, Yannis. Yes, it's the old georgian, chosen most likely as a nationalistic gesture. It's not in any use today, but it's simple and I actually had more problems with the hilt - I usually have more problems reading modern alphabets/fonts than with more simple and elegant ancient scripts.