Shamshir dating?
Hi Everybody,
Does anyone have any idea of the possible age and use of this shamshir from my collection? It is 40 inches in length, with a blade of 34 inches (both measured in straight lines) and the width of the blade both at the hilt and the midpoint is 1 and 5/8 inches. The blade appears to be watered steel. The weight is massive; unfortunately, I don't have a scale to tell you how much it is exactly; but it seems like it would be impossible to "fence" with, compared to some much lighter, less massive shamshirs that I own. If used for fighting I would assume it would have to be used in conjunction with some kind of shield. I considered the possibility that it's an executioner's sword, but that raises my next question (possibly elementary but admittedly I know virtually nothing about these types of swords): do executioners' swords bear markings like this one does? I also seem to recall some comment in "Swords and Hilt Weapons" that "earlier" Ottoman swords tended to be more massive.
Rick
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