Can anyone name this type of sword? pix.

ruel,

Thanks, right back at you.

I'd tend to agree with you regarding ancient trade links between Mesopotamia and Indus Valley civilizations. Your swords similarity to the Egyptian kopsh, kepesh, and Assyrian sapara is a good case.

The Turkish yataghan and the sapara are very similiar in shape, maybe the yataghan is the descendant of the sapara. Those traders sure got around.

The armourer I mentioned is Richard Erwinloomis- the maestro of "funky but functional". His blades do cut well. As to the one so similiar to yours I tested, my feeling is that it would be good for trapping your opponents limbs or weapons, and unhorsing cavalry. One of its unusual features is that it pierces with a cutting motion. Recommended for mayhem.

I haven't talked to any Assyrians !knock-on-wood! but from what I've read, if it was nasty, they liked it.

Finn


 
1. Does Richard E-- have a website? Sounds like he makes some pretty cool stuff. I wonder if he'll be at the TX Renaissance Festival this fall; I plan to go for the first time because I always hear good things about it.

2. Rawson's "Indian Sword" has a chart which proposes that virtually all incurving blades derive from the Egyptian Khopesh, up to and including the Yataghan, Khukuri, Ram Dao, and other Indo-Asiatic choppers. Burton's "Book of the Sword" makes the same proposal. However, these two think that the incurving form in India came only after the Alexandrian conquests, while an Indus theory would place it almost 2000yrs. earlier.
 
I know I've posted this before but we have new guys and it is worth a laugh so here it is again.

I once asked a kami how long the khukuri had been made in Nepal. His reply -- Forever!

History buffs please note.

------------------
Blessings from the computer shack in Reno.

Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
Khukuri FAQ
 
ruel,

I don't know if Richard has a web site- I haven't talked to him in some time. I will though find out.

Burton discusses a "scramasax" from the Hallstadt find briefly in "The Book of the Sword". The illustration of this blade looks just like a yataghan to me.

My brows are starting to bump into my hairline.

How 'bout that Alamo bowie, son?!

 
ruel,

The "Maestro" is still in business. I'll e-mail you particulars.

Your knowlege base is excellent. You motivated me to go back through my reference library and do some reading- in between sneezes from the dust.

Thanks for the informed input.

Finn

 
Thanks, Fin-. You give me WAY too much credit; I just repeat what I hear from others, and hope that it's right!(:

It seems that Texas does have several smiths working with historical designs, but we just don't hear much about 'em. Too bad -- our neighbors might be making stuff we want, and we'd never know it!
 
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