European Military Patterns- Ethnographic or not?

Jim McDougall · 7th January 2007, 09:57 PM

Interesting topic

I think this is reaching a bit though and stretching the ethnographic denominator to these dimensions would severely inhibit reasonable and effective classification of weaponry. It is however a thought that has crossed my mind and I'm sure others many times, for example Scottish basket hilts...these clans were tribal highlanders much the same as Caucasians; or Southeast Asians in Laos, Vietnam, Assam etc. In studying the famed American Bowie knife, here is an indiginous weapon form that developed in the U.S. although undoubtedly influenced by knives from the Meditteranean, and curiously mostly later produced by English makers, Yet I am not certain that the term ethnographic would properly apply here.

In my opinion, and as I have noted, many military regulation pattern weapons may be considered 'associated' with the ethnographic weapons we study and typically are best discussed under appropriate heading. I have noted that in many instances the 'association' becomes more direct when components of these pattern weapons become mounted in or the form influences native weapons. Instances of this are of course in India, where many tulwars were mounted with British blades; in Africa where Manding sabres etc. are mounted with French or German regulation blades, with of course many other instances in many colonial spheres.

There are also of course instances where an ethnographic weapon form has become a regulation military form, where the kukri is a classic example.

I think the course of weapons study can function well within the existing perameters without further delineation as it serves well to focus on the weapon being discussed without such concerns.
Still an interesting view though

Best regards,
Jim

7th January 2007, 09:57 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,191	Interesting topic I think this is reaching a bit though and stretching the ethnographic denominator to these dimensions would severely inhibit reasonable and effective classification of weaponry. It is however a thought that has crossed my mind and I'm sure others many times, for example Scottish basket hilts...these clans were tribal highlanders much the same as Caucasians; or Southeast Asians in Laos, Vietnam, Assam etc. In studying the famed American Bowie knife, here is an indiginous weapon form that developed in the U.S. although undoubtedly influenced by knives from the Meditteranean, and curiously mostly later produced by English makers, Yet I am not certain that the term ethnographic would properly apply here. In my opinion, and as I have noted, many military regulation pattern weapons may be considered 'associated' with the ethnographic weapons we study and typically are best discussed under appropriate heading. I have noted that in many instances the 'association' becomes more direct when components of these pattern weapons become mounted in or the form influences native weapons. Instances of this are of course in India, where many tulwars were mounted with British blades; in Africa where Manding sabres etc. are mounted with French or German regulation blades, with of course many other instances in many colonial spheres. There are also of course instances where an ethnographic weapon form has become a regulation military form, where the kukri is a classic example. I think the course of weapons study can function well within the existing perameters without further delineation as it serves well to focus on the weapon being discussed without such concerns. Still an interesting view though Best regards, Jim