I have been thinking about the origin myself...
The best would be to read the armourer's mark on the blade and I shall try to find a translator ( afraid, there are very few Chechens around here, though...)
The form might be of help:
Circassian kinjals wer smaller and narrow-er ( except for Shapsughs', but those were shorter). Daghestani/Chechen kindjals had better silverwork, but that was after Shamil; The Great Leader favoured simple iron. The ornament has nothing to do with the traditional Avar/Chechen/Daghestani motives: too simple .
I would stick my neck out and say: Georgian. They had blades of any kind, and 3-rivet handles. Flimsy evidence, to put it mildly, but I can't do better than that. Why couldn't the bugger sign his name on the scabbard??
What do you think?
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