T-handle Yatagan-zeybek for comments

francantolin · 24th October 2016, 10:16 PM

Hello,

I've found this sword at flea market,
it was really, really rusty and I did all my best for clean it.
it's quite rustic, the hilt is made from wood ( part missing ) and has worm holes.
The scabbard is made from wood with brass mounts

I think it's an old turkish zeybek sword but I don't have any exact idea about age and exact use/origin
( some writings talk about greek and turkish ''pirats'' with these kind of swords )

removing the rust, the blade looks like damas ( wootz ?) , what do you think ?

Can anybody translate the engraving ? ( is it classic arabic calligraphy ?!? )

Kind regards and thank you

Francesc'o

francantolin · 26th October 2016, 06:40 AM

for the engravings: old turkish calligraphy orthography

Battara · 26th October 2016, 01:28 PM

Nice for a flea market find!

Are those mounts silver or brass?

francantolin · 26th October 2016, 08:10 PM

Thank you Battara !

I really like to ''dig'' in flea market and it's like a game when you buy an old rusty stuff for few money:
I supposed that under the rust there would be something interesting !!
this time it was not bad!

The scabbard mounts are from brass,
for the hilt base I dont' know: metal alloy ( maybe silver but I don't think)

Kind regards

francantolin · 29th October 2016, 08:55 PM

Somebody for the blade quality or the engravings ?!
Thank's

ariel · 30th October 2016, 12:45 PM

The date on the blade is 1292, which is 1875-6.
AFAIK, calling them "pirates" might be incorrect. They were landlubbers, operating as small bands within and between villages. Kind of Turkish Robin Hood- like foot irregulars, bashibazouks ( "crazy heads") , poor as church mice and having rather uncertain relations with any organized government. They particularly distinguished themselves as guerilla forces during the Greek invasion of Anatolia in 1919.

I have never seen a Zeybek yataghan with a wootz blade or even with a Damascus one. All, in my experience, were monosteel, very thick, narrow, long, curved downwards ( no recurving), with integral bolsters, cheap horn or wood handles crudely imitating classical Ottoman "ears", and with simple decorations and cheap primitive tunkou. The work of a village blacksmith, not of a sophisticated professional armorer.

Getting one with the original scabbard is great.

24th October 2016, 10:16 PM	#1
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 854	T-handle Yatagan-zeybek for comments Hello, I've found this sword at flea market, it was really, really rusty and I did all my best for clean it. it's quite rustic, the hilt is made from wood ( part missing ) and has worm holes. The scabbard is made from wood with brass mounts I think it's an old turkish zeybek sword but I don't have any exact idea about age and exact use/origin ( some writings talk about greek and turkish ''pirats'' with these kind of swords ) removing the rust, the blade looks like damas ( wootz ?) , what do you think ? Can anybody translate the engraving ? ( is it classic arabic calligraphy ?!? ) Kind regards and thank you Francesc'o Attached Images

26th October 2016, 06:40 AM	#2
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 854	for the engravings: old turkish calligraphy orthography

26th October 2016, 01:28 PM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,200	Nice for a flea market find! Are those mounts silver or brass?

26th October 2016, 08:10 PM	#4
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 854	Thank you Battara ! I really like to ''dig'' in flea market and it's like a game when you buy an old rusty stuff for few money: I supposed that under the rust there would be something interesting !! this time it was not bad! The scabbard mounts are from brass, for the hilt base I dont' know: metal alloy ( maybe silver but I don't think) Kind regards

29th October 2016, 08:55 PM	#5
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 854	Somebody for the blade quality or the engravings ?! Thank's

30th October 2016, 12:45 PM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The date on the blade is 1292, which is 1875-6. AFAIK, calling them "pirates" might be incorrect. They were landlubbers, operating as small bands within and between villages. Kind of Turkish Robin Hood- like foot irregulars, bashibazouks ( "crazy heads") , poor as church mice and having rather uncertain relations with any organized government. They particularly distinguished themselves as guerilla forces during the Greek invasion of Anatolia in 1919. I have never seen a Zeybek yataghan with a wootz blade or even with a Damascus one. All, in my experience, were monosteel, very thick, narrow, long, curved downwards ( no recurving), with integral bolsters, cheap horn or wood handles crudely imitating classical Ottoman "ears", and with simple decorations and cheap primitive tunkou. The work of a village blacksmith, not of a sophisticated professional armorer. Getting one with the original scabbard is great.