Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons
FAQ Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 17th March 2021, 10:29 AM   #1
Kurt
Member
 
Kurt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 196
Default Khanda, a call for help on translation

Dear members, can someone translate this for me?
Best Kurt
Attached Images
    

Last edited by Kurt; 18th March 2021 at 10:14 AM.
Kurt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th March 2021, 05:00 PM   #2
Mercenary
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Moscow, Russia
Posts: 421
Default

I am not an expert in reading the inscriptions, but if no one is ready to reply, I can try (due to despair) to suggest my own explanation, not the reading, because the inscription perhaps cannot be read in the usual way.
"VARAK MATSEE" ~ "made from foil" or more precisely "by 'varak' method". This refers to gold foil, or rather this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vark

On such items, often made for travelers, there are sometimes such meaningless inscriptions like "this inscription is made of gold".

This is just my guess. I am not able to accurately read this inscription, sorry...
Mercenary is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th March 2021, 12:44 PM   #3
Kurt
Member
 
Kurt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 196
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kurt
Dear members, can someone translate this for me?
Best Kurt
Hello members,
can someone give me advice on who to turn to for a translation?
Thanks Kurt
Kurt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th March 2021, 03:52 PM   #4
Jens Nordlunde
Member
 
Jens Nordlunde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,718
Default

Kurt,



The text says 'Varak Matsee'. Varak can mean worked in Gold and Matsya/Matsee also means Fish.
Jens Nordlunde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th March 2021, 05:03 PM   #5
Kurt
Member
 
Kurt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 196
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde
Kurt,



The text says 'Varak Matsee'. Varak can mean worked in Gold and Matsya/Matsee also means Fish.

Thanks Jens,
a strange text.
Kurt
Kurt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th March 2021, 05:42 PM   #6
Jens Nordlunde
Member
 
Jens Nordlunde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,718
Default

Yes you are right Kurt. It is a very strange text.
I asked the one who translated the text for me, and he could not give an explanation of what it could mean.
Jens Nordlunde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th March 2021, 06:06 PM   #7
mariusgmioc
Member
 
mariusgmioc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austria
Posts: 1,903
Default

To my eyes, this looks like a late 19th - early 20th century Khanda, made for European collector market.

In this context the inscription may have been added for purely decorative reasons, to increase the marketability of the sword.
mariusgmioc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24th March 2021, 06:08 PM   #8
Kurt
Member
 
Kurt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 196
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde
Yes you are right Kurt. It is a very strange text.
I asked the one who translated the text for me, and he could not give an explanation of what it could mean.


Dear Jens ,
Many years ago when I bought the Khanda I made a trip to Rajastan, there I showed the inscription to an Indian scholar, he translated Badur Singh. ????
Kurt
Kurt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27th March 2021, 07:36 PM   #9
Nihl
Member
 
Nihl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 90
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercenary
I am not an expert in reading the inscriptions, but if no one is ready to reply, I can try (due to despair) to suggest my own explanation, not the reading, because the inscription perhaps cannot be read in the usual way.
"VARAK MATSEE" ~ "made from foil" or more precisely "by 'varak' method". This refers to gold foil, or rather this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vark

On such items, often made for travelers, there are sometimes such meaningless inscriptions like "this inscription is made of gold".

This is just my guess. I am not able to accurately read this inscription, sorry...
As someone that can read devanagari, I can corroborate that the inscription indeed reads "varak matsi" (or "matsee", when transcribed phonetically), and Mercenary's explanation here makes the most sense to me.
Nihl is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28th March 2021, 10:35 AM   #10
Kurt
Member
 
Kurt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 196
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nihl
As someone that can read devanagari, I can corroborate that the inscription indeed reads "varak matsi" (or "matsee", when transcribed phonetically), and Mercenary's explanation here makes the most sense to me.
Hi Nihl ,
Thanks for explanation and help.
Am a little disappointed expected an owner.
But now I am informed.
Kurt
Kurt is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.