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Originally Posted by SERGIU
The short yataghan-style knife is referred as Marine-yataghan by most Balkan dealers,(maybe because of his size) but also as belosapac bichaq or bicak. personally I believe that they are knives carried by christians in the Balkan areas, as ottoman laws forbidded christians to carry yats or swords with long blades.(only blades as long as the opening of a human hand).
The metal hilt yathagan dated 1878 seems greek to me, because of the decorations especially the female figure on the scabbard. Most of our Balkan edged weapons dated 1878-1890(mainly 1878) are made in Bosnia, and clearly different in style to your yat.This one has indeed Balkan style ears, but nothing else in common with belosapac yataghans made in Boka Kotorska, Foca, Uzice etc
1878 was also the year of a forgotten war, the "pacification of Bosnia", when austro hungarian units (also troops from my hometown) fought the patriots of Bosnia and occupied the former ottoman sandjak .
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I agreed, I think is Greek.
Look these 2 photos of a Greek Kilij with very similar decoration and the crown of King George I of Greece. (1863-1913)