Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
Absolutely locally made as suggested and one in one of the local shops around Machin Khana in Kabul. I have never seen evidence of these made in the assembly lines of that factory, but sub contracting of course in the same manner as in Solingen and most sword centers was certainly present.
There these hilts were also mounted on tribal 'Khyber knife' blades for forces of the local levees who were attached to the British army .
There were of course many Wilkinson swords about and the 'Star of Solomon' (not Masonic nor the Star of David) surround used to enclose proof marks on British officers swords was certainly copied. The Afghan army profoundly copied British uniforms (even kilts and Albert style helmets), used British arms and were heavily subsidized by the UK.
A good book to learn more on these times, ["The Great Game" by Peter Hopkirk gives full perspective of the conflicts and political circumstances there.
The shashka presence was primarily from Caucasian source, via of course the Russians. After the Murid Wars, there were many Caucasians in the ranks of the Russian army and the Caucasian officers often used their own shashkas.
The Cossack shashka of course evolved from these, but the rank and file regulation forms have nothing to do with Afghan shashkas.
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I’m sure the phenomenon of military style hilts attached to khyber blades was just a local fashion of the time
20th July 2024, 07:27 PM
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