How old is the kampilan as a form?

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Related, but on a different subject: I have never met a Moroccan that had heard of the word "koummya", even though they were very aware of the famous Moroccan jambiya style most of us know so well. They all saw pics or the real thing and said it's a "khandjar".

That is amazing Charles! Remember how many years it took to find the origin of 'kaskara' , a word nobody in the Sudan ever heard of.......the janbiyya/ katar thing......the term shotel in Ethiopia.........ettc.

It seems most of these weapons were named or termed by collectors or contemporary narrators, while locals always used more general terms which were far more collective. In many cases, terms for sword, knife were alike or in use in that way.
That is one of the frustrating dilemmas in trying to accurately trace the lineage in development of so many forms.