Help with North Article

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Emanuel

Here you go Jim,

I'll send you a pdf version shortly. The Venetian storta immediately came to mind when I saw the sword. The one below is a 15th century Venetian example (p.48 Swords and Hilt Weapons, Weidenfeld and Nicholson, London 1989).

A very interesting article, I'll be sure to mine the magazine for other such gems.

All the best,
Emanuel

Salaams Jim, May this thread be placed on the Ethnographic Forum please?

It seems fitting that a new look at the Kastane ...and inspired by your post on the Nimcha situation by Tatyana at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=kastane perhaps a further investigation can be launched with this existing thread as a lead.

The late Tony North created a magnificent research paper shown here by you. It occured to me that the Kastane has a far more ancient looking hilt and that it could have existed before the Portuguese, British or Dutch dynasties rolled through that region providing European replacement blades perhaps to a weapon that had existed previously.

I read your account in library of the Japanese 16th Century presentation Kastane obtained in Sri Lanka and wondered if that could be added as key evidence of a potentially earlier development?

A study on the Moors of Sri Lanka is interesting...They appear lightly in the 1st C and in greater numbers from the 8th C through the 14th. Moorish influence by these great sea traders indicate either Jinetta or Storta design in the Kastane and I am interested in Sri Lankan blade production which was highly advanced with air enhanced furnaces thus better steel etc.

The Sri Lankan Moors traded with Bagdad as well as Hadramaut and Hyderabad and must have had a hand in blades for the Red Sea hub.
Kastane also extended to Europe as dress swords.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.