Paluoar Questions, Ricasso and Quillion block

[Josh Maxwell]

Hello all,

A few weeks back I made a thread asking for resources to draw from looking for information on paluaor so as to help with my undergraduate thesis in which I am writing on these swords. This thread, as well as pictures of a paluoar I'm identifying for our museum, are in the link provided below.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16989

In the past few weeks I have learned a lot on this type of sword and with a lot of conversation between myself and Jim McDougall, my thesis is coming into its final stages. I did have a few questions though.

I have read that Indian blades will have a ricasso present while it is missing on persian examples. On most examples I have seen, whether in drawn form or in pictures, this ricasso is very visibly present, almost appearing blocky in form. Now the example I am working with does have a ricasso, but it is very, very, slight. My question to you is, how slight can this ricasso be before it is disregarded and the blade is assumed to have been made in Persia?

My next question is regarding the decoration of the quillon block. As you can see in the images provided in the link, the quillon block is divided into quadrants by raised ridges that stick up from the surface. Unlike so many examples that show a beveled surface culminating in a ridge that slopes out evenly to the edges. Jim mentioned that he thought he saw examples of talwar sharing this trait, but do any of you have examples of other swords bearing these ridges and where did they originate from?

Thank you,
Josh Maxwell