Ottoman Hancer for translation

ariel · 18th March 2020, 07:33 PM

It is difficult to compare India and Balkans.

In India there was a major divide between North and South with a transitional state in Deccan.
At the North, there were, in addition, significant decorative differences between Rajputs and Moghuls.
But on top of it, Indian Rajahs did their best to develop their own styles: Elgood lists multiple styles of Talwar handles.

At the Balkans, the major divide was between the Ottoman-occupied areas that adopted the Ottoman style and the ( current) Croatia and Slovenia, firmly attached to the Western European style. Within the “Ottoman” areas the differences were minute: for example round and smooth corals in Foca. Christian enclaves ( Serbia,Greece, Bulgaria) had major limitations on weapon production and complete bans on carrying. I know of no specifically “Christian” weapons except Epirotic sabers, Cretan Yataghans and Bulgarian Karakulaks.

Thus, the greatest majority of Balkan weapons were of Ottoman style and practically indistinguishable from each other, whereas Indian ones had multiple hints of their origin.

As a paradoxical result, it was much easier for Elgood to attribute and pinpoint Indian weapons than the Balkan ones.

As to Marius’ jambiya/ khanjar it may be of Albanian fashion but spread outside of its original areal, generic Turkish with wide adoption, some personal custom preference etc. Owner’s or master’s name do not tell us much because by that time they became generic Ottoman.

18th March 2020, 07:33 PM	#28
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	It is difficult to compare India and Balkans. In India there was a major divide between North and South with a transitional state in Deccan. At the North, there were, in addition, significant decorative differences between Rajputs and Moghuls. But on top of it, Indian Rajahs did their best to develop their own styles: Elgood lists multiple styles of Talwar handles. At the Balkans, the major divide was between the Ottoman-occupied areas that adopted the Ottoman style and the ( current) Croatia and Slovenia, firmly attached to the Western European style. Within the “Ottoman” areas the differences were minute: for example round and smooth corals in Foca. Christian enclaves ( Serbia,Greece, Bulgaria) had major limitations on weapon production and complete bans on carrying. I know of no specifically “Christian” weapons except Epirotic sabers, Cretan Yataghans and Bulgarian Karakulaks. Thus, the greatest majority of Balkan weapons were of Ottoman style and practically indistinguishable from each other, whereas Indian ones had multiple hints of their origin. As a paradoxical result, it was much easier for Elgood to attribute and pinpoint Indian weapons than the Balkan ones. As to Marius’ jambiya/ khanjar it may be of Albanian fashion but spread outside of its original areal, generic Turkish with wide adoption, some personal custom preference etc. Owner’s or master’s name do not tell us much because by that time they became generic Ottoman.