Dashna - khevsurian short sword

[Jim McDougall]

Vaho, this article is absolutely superb!!! One of the very first articles I have ever seen on the arms of this fascinating people published in the west in English. As has been noted, this is an area of the collecting and study of historical arms which is as remotely known perhaps as the Khevsurs themselves.
The few references which deal with Khevsur weaponry are typically published in Russian, aside from the very obscure reference by Askhabov "Chechen Weapons", and the important book in French by Iaroslav Lebedynsky on the arms of the Cossacks and Caucasians.

The dashna is most intriguing for me personally as it is a form of Khevsur weapon which seems far less known than the more familiar edged weapons of the Khevsurs such as the 'pranguli' and the kindjhal. What is most interesting is that the dashna is apparantly, as noted, fabricated using blades of these other edged weapons, much in the manner of many dirks and daggers in varying cultural circumstances.

Thank you so very much for posting this wonderful article, and my profound congratulations and admiration for having effectively presenting this facet of the arms of these incredibly fascinating people, the Khevsurs, to the arms collecting community here.

I look forward to the article on the Khevsur battle rings as well, a most esoteric and little known topic. It has always fascinated me that these are so much like the finger rings worn by certain tribes in Africa, literally small razor knives worn mounted as rings for combat slashing.

All the very best,
Jim