Sawfish sword

ariel · 5th August 2016, 12:31 PM

Vandoo,
I read it in Russian.

As usual, Mahratt presented very impressive factual description of specimens and Internet pictures.

However, the final conclusion is flawed: during 15-19 centuries rostra might have been used as fighting implements by some primitive island societies, but were not true weapons in the Indo-Persian areal or in Europe. They might have served there as processional, decorative, votive or parade curiosities, but the above areas left not only the Stone but even the Bronze Age well behind them.
As I mentioned in an earlier post here, discussing their fighting role is as productive as deliberating about military history of General Tso's Chicken.

I cannot tell you whether in the "Italian" version of the article this obvious error was stemming from a faulty judgement or from poor translation. Hopefully, the latter.

5th August 2016, 12:31 PM	#20
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Vandoo, I read it in Russian. As usual, Mahratt presented very impressive factual description of specimens and Internet pictures. However, the final conclusion is flawed: during 15-19 centuries rostra might have been used as fighting implements by some primitive island societies, but were not true weapons in the Indo-Persian areal or in Europe. They might have served there as processional, decorative, votive or parade curiosities, but the above areas left not only the Stone but even the Bronze Age well behind them. As I mentioned in an earlier post here, discussing their fighting role is as productive as deliberating about military history of General Tso's Chicken. I cannot tell you whether in the "Italian" version of the article this obvious error was stemming from a faulty judgement or from poor translation. Hopefully, the latter.