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Although on this one the blade is almost straight, the handle is much more canted/curved. So the effect should probably the same. I'm guessing the blade tip is missing. Otherwise, I'm getting "parang' vibes coming from it :) Quote:
Attachment 232169 Source: http://myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.39375.html =============== I managed to find a better view. A photo by Michel Allal on Google. |
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I think those two blades might look like xiphos blades because they're more straight than other examples, but they do still have a slight curve, and appear to have more weight towards the end of the blade, both of which factors would contribute to it having the moment of inertia of an axe. They also likely both are single edged (except for maybe the top third of the blade, like Parnell describes), in contrast to a xiphos. There does seem to be a grey area, but instead of classifying one as a kopis by the asymmetrical handle base I would still say the blade is more the defining feature. I like Tarassuk & Blair's classification, for example: a makhaira is generally a single-edged blade, and a kopis is a subvariant that is curved and meant to "cut" or "chop" as implied by its definition in ancient Greek. I have a hard time imaging that the Thracian example in that Bulgarian museum would be described as a kopis despite its characteristic handle just because it looks made more for thrusting than slashing. Although even that is an assumption because maybe it also is single-edged and has a moment of inertia similar to a short axe — it's hard to tell from the pictures. Essentially, I think how they would have used the blades dictates what they would have called them, and it's not any one of these characteristics that would have defined a kopis, but some set of all of them; the asymmetrical handle helps keep the sword in hand when slashing, and the single-edged, forward curving blade with the moment of inertia of an axe helps deliver a slashing blow. For all we know, the asymmetrical handle might have been slapped onto the blade of a xiphos because it was comfortable, or a status symbol, or the hallmark of a contemporary craftsman/workshop — and maybe that's what the Thracian example from Bulgaria is. |
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Maybe calling it "Macedonian" is misleading, despite most examples apparently coming from Macedonian sites or graves. I mentioned my theory above of all of these characteristics being a hallmark of a contemporary craftsman/workshop, and I think the King Seuthes III example gives some credibility to it — it shares many of these characteristics (the blade looks different but it was heavily reconstructed), and King Seuthes III was a king of Thrace while it was subjugated by Macedonia, and soon after Alexander the Great died he rebelled against the Macedonians. So at some point maybe these swords were being commissioned by opposing armies? Quote:
What's interesting though is that this example you posted has a similarly-wide/thick guard to these two examples. The typical Macedonian examples have much more pointy guards. What do you think? |
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I found a high resolution photo of the Vasil Bozhkov Museum (Васил Божков) makhaira. It says "makhaira sword of the 4th century BC, with a unique hilt with an exquisite hilt representing the figure of a galloping horse with a copper-inlaid bridle".
Attachment 232198 Mahaira from Zlatinitsa - Malomirovo Quote:
Attachment 232201 Attachment 232200 Plus a few more, regarding which I have no further info. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kabile_001.jpg |
This is not necesarily related to kopises.
If you like ancient objects, but don't have the budget to travel around, then this flickr account might interest you. Enjoy! https://www.flickr.com/photos/dandiffendale/ This one is very nice as well https://www.flickr.com/photos/prof_r.../albums/page10 |
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