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Old 21st December 2011, 12:41 PM   #5
Lee
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Upstate New York, USA
Posts: 926
Lightbulb Chronology versus geography and can we trust inscriptions?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard R.
Do you think that your second Yataghan is to be dated before 1770?
I had only viewed the mark on the older yataghan in abstraction previously, but if we accept the bottom line in the cartouche on the lower blade as the date 1204 (=1799, just barely 18th century) and interpret the similar region of the upper cartouche as being an honest date, then 1001 (=1592).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard R.
How old you think that your protobudiak is?
I wish I knew. I am going to guess that the mounts were serviceable and in current 'style' when the spear left home, likely about a hundred years ago. When I dismounted the blade, there was no evidence of fresh rust in the mastic. However, the tang has heavy stable dark oxidation, just as I have observed in older (koto) Japanese swords, so I suspect this spearhead was far from new when last mounted. I have tried to lure the forum community into trying to work out geography versus chronology in the styles of these lance heads and that should ultimately be possible, but I doubt there will be reliable absolute dating unless some new technology emerges.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard R.
"Merry Christmas" from Switzerland!
Vielen Dank und gleichfalls.
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