Odd sword from the AMNH archive

Iain · 29th October 2011, 05:26 PM

I was browsing through the onlines collections at amnh.org today and stumbled across this bizarre sword.
http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...2F%205952%20AB

Any ideas? I'm not even sure that it's African...

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 29th October 2011, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iain

I was browsing through the onlines collections at amnh.org today and stumbled across this bizarre sword.
http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...2F%205952%20AB

Any ideas? I'm not even sure that it's African...

Salaams Iain, It looks Roman, Greek or Persian. Ibrahiim.

Tim Simmons · 29th October 2011, 06:06 PM

Looks like an East African spear blade made into a dagger. This blade is 67cm long not including the sockect. The scabbard looks Arab to me?

carlos · 29th October 2011, 06:36 PM

The sheath and the blade remember me a indian katar.

carlos

Jim McDougall · 29th October 2011, 07:58 PM

I'd like to add to the excellent observations thus far, and say that at first glance I get the impression of a rather atavistic version of a type of 'akinakes' from the NW regions of India/Central Asia. The suggestion of ancient assessments of Greek, Roman and Persian by Ibrahiim fall well into place here as well as Scythian type weapons were associated.
The shouldered shape of the blade recalled early European bronze into iron age and a number of weapons in these northern regions of India reflect earlier weapons of these times such as the anthromorphic swords of Hallstadt etc. influences seem to be seen in weapons like the forms of chilanum .

The hook type hilt also recalls Greek kopis and other weapons of ancient times. Interesting for further research!

Iain · 31st October 2011, 01:20 PM

I remembered this sword from discussions past... http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11617

Seems to share some characteristics?

29th October 2011, 05:26 PM	#1
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,693	Odd sword from the AMNH archive I was browsing through the onlines collections at amnh.org today and stumbled across this bizarre sword. http://anthro.amnh.org/anthropology/...2F%205952%20AB Any ideas? I'm not even sure that it's African... Attached Images

29th October 2011, 06:06 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Looks like an East African spear blade made into a dagger. This blade is 67cm long not including the sockect. The scabbard looks Arab to me? Attached Images

29th October 2011, 06:36 PM	#4
carlos Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 737	The sheath and the blade remember me a indian katar. carlos

29th October 2011, 07:58 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,948	I'd like to add to the excellent observations thus far, and say that at first glance I get the impression of a rather atavistic version of a type of 'akinakes' from the NW regions of India/Central Asia. The suggestion of ancient assessments of Greek, Roman and Persian by Ibrahiim fall well into place here as well as Scythian type weapons were associated. The shouldered shape of the blade recalled early European bronze into iron age and a number of weapons in these northern regions of India reflect earlier weapons of these times such as the anthromorphic swords of Hallstadt etc. influences seem to be seen in weapons like the forms of chilanum . The hook type hilt also recalls Greek kopis and other weapons of ancient times. Interesting for further research!

31st October 2011, 01:20 PM	#6
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,693	I remembered this sword from discussions past... http://vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11617 Seems to share some characteristics?