Jineta/nimcha/kattara

[fernando]

As i see it written out there, the falcata Iberica may not go without its counterpart, the La Tene type sword, an inheritance of the Halstadt period, with its 'antena' grip evolution. It appears that either style found its location in different parts of the Peninsula, apparently due to their distinct migration directions.
When discussing which of these two types was used by the famous Viriato, a Lusitanian tribal warrior that dared to confrontate and managed to significantly delay the Roman invasion, conclusion would be that he used mainly the La Tene (a model with a straight blade in opposition to sickle shaped falcata), a style that pleased the Romans, to the extent that they adopted it for his weaponry equipment, calling it Gladius Hispaniensis (they called Hispania to the whole Peninsula).
We know that all this is of common knowledge, even boring for a connoisseur like Gonzalo; however my reach atempt is another, one that goes beyond common sense, that still i dare put things in a different angle; not academic or scholar, only empirical, certainly closer to insanity. When i collected coins i acquired a couple ancient Indian coins, dating back to many centuries before Christ. This took me to browse on the origin of money currency; well i found two locations running in the same championship, the author saying that maybe one didn't copy or picked the idea from the other. They happened to simultaneousy felt such necessity, and so they went ahead minting coins, one not knowing about the other. I don't recall the exact details, but the moral of the story is what matters here. Sword guards, quillons, curved quillons, extremely curved quillons; what precisely were they for ... blade catchers, finger defences, adornments, religious symbols, scabbard adjustment implements ? And why have they been necessarily copied from the neighborhood or remote domains ? I know this is a subject that gives reason of existance to scholars, but for those who fancy simpler explanations, perspectives arise that switch another kind of complicometer, that of an ignarus. Look at these Iberian antena swords from the Hallstatl period, VI to V century BC. Aren't those quillons on their guards ... even down turned, although of reduced dimensions ? And, for a couple seconds, compare them with those of the Omani Kattara. I know i must be out of my mind, but ... how in hell those Iberians (whoever) cared to apply such things in their sword guards ?


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[Gonzalo G]

Originally Posted by fernando

Sword guards, quillons, curved quillons, extremely curved quillons; what precisely were they for ... blade catchers, finger defences, adornments, religious symbols, scabbard adjustment implements ? And why have they been necessarily copied from the neighborhood or remote domains?

I completely agree with this reasoning. This is why I always quesion in my mind the statements about such and such influences over a specific development and try to search if the features supposedly due to foreign influences does not in fact come from indigenous traditions. Unfortunately, there are many gaps in the archaeological record and we can not trace the cultural evolution of many features. This is specially severe in the case of prehistorical-prewriting cultures, in the case where certain cultures were systematically destoyed or in the case of those countries where the lack of resources does not allow extensive archaeological research and/or the climate does not favors the preservation of remains.

And please don't credit me. I am not a connoisseur. I am just trying to learn and confront my ideas with those of others, to test them. On the falcatas or on the subject of influences, maybe it should be better if you open a new thread.

Regards

[Gonzalo G]

Though it is known today the incredibly far reaching connections since prehistoric times the peoples from around the world, except perhaps Australia and America, always had. The influences existed, and also had a far reaching effect. The crossing paths were the most benefited from this interchange, specially the Mediterranean Culture.

[fernando]

Well, didn't they find out the other day that we are all related ? Apparently this thing of us being different is a 'modernism'.
In a way that we are dispensed from having to trade the registered mark of whatever implements to other spots, for as remote as they are. There is always a local cousin in infinitesimal degree that, having related genes, comes up with a similar idea .
Going introspective, someone said i look Phoenician ... while it is assumed that a great percentage of Portuguese inherited a significant dosis of Jewish blood ... not to count with recent DNA conclusions that we also carry Berber genes .
(O Patrimonio Genético Português, by Luisa Pereira & Filipa M.Ribeiro, 2009)

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[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by fernando

As i see it written out there, the falcata Iberica may not go without its counterpart, the La Tene type sword, an inheritance of the Halstadt period, with its 'antena' grip evolution. It appears that either style found its location in different parts of the Peninsula, apparently due to their distinct migration directions.
When discussing which of these two types was used by the famous Viriato, a Lusitanian tribal warrior that dared to confrontate and managed to significantly delay the Roman invasion, conclusion would be that he used mainly the La Tene (a model with a straight blade in opposition to sickle shaped falcata), a style that pleased the Romans, to the extent that they adopted it for his weaponry equipment, calling it Gladius Hispaniensis (they called Hispania to the whole Peninsula).
We know that all this is of common knowledge, even boring for a connoisseur like Gonzalo; however my reach atempt is another, one that goes beyond common sense, that still i dare put things in a different angle; not academic or scholar, only empirical, certainly closer to insanity. When i collected coins i acquired a couple ancient Indian coins, dating back to many centuries before Christ. This took me to browse on the origin of money currency; well i found two locations running in the same championship, the author saying that maybe one didn't copy or picked the idea from the other. They happened to simultaneousy felt such necessity, and so they went ahead minting coins, one not knowing about the other. I don't recall the exact details, but the moral of the story is what matters here. Sword guards, quillons, curved quillons, extremely curved quillons; what precisely were they for ... blade catchers, finger defences, adornments, religious symbols, scabbard adjustment implements ? And why have they been necessarily copied from the neighborhood or remote domains ? I know this is a subject that gives reason of existance to scholars, but for those who fancy simpler explanations, perspectives arise that switch another kind of complicometer, that of an ignarus. Look at these Iberian antena swords from the Hallstatl period, VI to V century BC. Aren't those quillons on their guards ... even down turned, although of reduced dimensions ? And, for a couple seconds, compare them with those of the Omani Kattara. I know i must be out of my mind, but ... how in hell those Iberians (whoever) cared to apply such things in their sword guards ?
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Salaams Fernando~ It is a very brave man who attempts to link a Sword from the 5th Century BC to the Sayf Yamaani...but brave is certainly what you are !! It reminds me of an author in Dhofar who discovered an ancient alphabet on a cave wall there... with two letters similar to a cave drawing in South West America ..Accidental parallel development in totally unconnected tribal regions. Dhofaris did not discover America!

However perhaps I am also slightly mad since I have placed a post at which explains why the Baldric and Shoulder carry gives us the reason for different Knuckle Guards on the Nimcha from Morocco and Zanzibar...

Please See http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...3&page=3&pp=30 at #76

[Gonzalo G]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

a cave drawing in South West America

Where? Peru? Chile?
Because America is not the United States of America, but a continent with many countries. Despite their name, the US do not agglutinate those countries, neither represent them.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Gonzalo G

Where? Peru? Chile?
Because America is not the United States of America, but a continent with many countries. Despite their name, the US do not agglutinate those countries, neither represent them.

Neither the US are situaded in the South West of Continent; i am afraid i don't get it .
Ibrahiim, could you precise the country or give us a link to that article ?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by fernando

Neither the US are situaded in the South West of Continent; i am afraid i don't get it .
Ibrahiim, could you precise the country or give us a link to that article ?

I forget the name of the author but ...like many stories around the campfire it is normal to take some with a pinch of salt or It was said that sort of acceptance...As it happens I have the book at home and it fulfills a good role as a door stop. The region which I remember in America was in Southern Colorado with apologies to anyone who may have shot off with their exploration equipment to Peru or Cuba...or.... ... but anyway archaeologists had a heyday refuting the alphabet links...
I would have answered earlier but I didnt know what agglutinate meant! I thought it was medicine for my horse in the advent of Colic !!

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Relevant here is the Jewish connection in Morocco at al....The Mediterranean being a hotbed of artisans of Jewish faith...Since what we are interested in is sword smithing...the likelihood of technology transfer / design switch and the eventual morphing to the Moroccan Nimcha form. Naturally with all the upheaval in Iberian quarters with their expulsion it is noted ~

Quote''Regarding the Atlas Mountains ..."The Jews appear as a group, specializing in trading and crafts, which is ritually and socially separated from the Moslems, who specialize in agriculture... The Jews are non-combatants, not being allowed to carry arms. Yet in their role as smiths, they are responsible for making and repairing arms."

Thus we come to the realization that the ancient North African guns, knives and swords of exquisite workmanship, weapons whose hand-wrought and tooled metals were engraved with elaborate patterns or inlaid with mother-of-pearl, the very weapons that now command high prices on the antiques market, are not of Arabic provenance at all but were produced by Judaic smiths! And that is not all!

"[Jewish] blacksmiths fan charcoal fires and create useful tools; hammers, axes, hatchets, scythes, plows, and all the other tools required by the people of the region. They also repair weapons. These artisan’s shops are in the entrances of their homes. The Berber who needs any tool will bring the metal and the charcoal to the Jew’s house."Unquote.

See also http://www.hebrewhistory.info/factpa...017-1_gold.htm

[Gonzalo G]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

However perhaps I am also slightly mad since I have placed a post at which explains why the Baldric and Shoulder carry gives us the reason for different Knuckle Guards on the Nimcha from Morocco and Zanzibar...

It was hardly an explanation. A hypothesis, perhaps. And not a good one. Swords suspended by a baldric, with rounded knuckleguards and even with compicated laces and rings or with a wide cup, were used widely by infantry and cavalry. No problem with the rib cage or mounting a horse, re: the rapier.