Video on Circassian Blades

ariel · 28th February 2012, 02:41 AM

The jeweler, Asya Eutych, made a set of caucasian weapons for the Circassian bodyguards of the Jordanian king. She says that that they were very, very grateful to her for re-introducing the old tradition, because they have already forgotten how the shashkas and kindjals look like.
This is an unmitigated bull. Circassians in Jordan , especially the royal bodyguards, kept their weapons since deportation by the Russians in 1870s. There are multiple photographs showing them sporting shashkas and kindjals during their guard duties for Abdulla and Hussein.
Either they were making a joke at her expense, or she was just confabulating for the local Russian audience. PR, you know.... She has to advertise herself... :-)

LewisB · 6th March 2012, 01:13 AM

Ariel:

Fascinating! I knew a little about the Circassian deportations, but only to Turkey (rather, the Ottoman Empire). I suppose my error was to assume that Ottoman Empire=Turkey of today, and to forget the geographic expanse that the Ottoman Empire had at the time.

Once more I find myself tripped up by my modern world view!

28th February 2012, 02:41 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The jeweler, Asya Eutych, made a set of caucasian weapons for the Circassian bodyguards of the Jordanian king. She says that that they were very, very grateful to her for re-introducing the old tradition, because they have already forgotten how the shashkas and kindjals look like. This is an unmitigated bull. Circassians in Jordan , especially the royal bodyguards, kept their weapons since deportation by the Russians in 1870s. There are multiple photographs showing them sporting shashkas and kindjals during their guard duties for Abdulla and Hussein. Either they were making a joke at her expense, or she was just confabulating for the local Russian audience. PR, you know.... She has to advertise herself... :-)

6th March 2012, 01:13 AM	#2
LewisB Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Amarillo, TX, USA Posts: 8	Ariel: Fascinating! I knew a little about the Circassian deportations, but only to Turkey (rather, the Ottoman Empire). I suppose my error was to assume that Ottoman Empire=Turkey of today, and to forget the geographic expanse that the Ottoman Empire had at the time. Once more I find myself tripped up by my modern world view!