A ‚Christian’ Yataghan – Translation help needed :-)

ward · 27th May 2009, 05:42 PM

There are some 16th century swords in Topkapi Palace that have a small fish on the grip, these are gold silver or other metal. I heard that fish were a symbol of potency to the early Turks, so it's probably pre-Islamic but stayed in use. First yataghan I've seen with that motif nice one.
Alex and Battara have a good point too, it could be the outline of a tulip which was big with the Ottomans or a simple form abstracted from a more complex one.

27th May 2009, 05:42 PM	#15
ward Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 637	There are some 16th century swords in Topkapi Palace that have a small fish on the grip, these are gold silver or other metal. I heard that fish were a symbol of potency to the early Turks, so it's probably pre-Islamic but stayed in use. First yataghan I've seen with that motif nice one. Alex and Battara have a good point too, it could be the outline of a tulip which was big with the Ottomans or a simple form abstracted from a more complex one.